Digimon Feelings
by ZariDenim
Summary: A story about Tai's feelings for Sora and the fact that she chose Matt over him, with a few digital twists. It's sad, fair warning. Rated for kissing and fighting. Please read the warning and rational inside before reading the story.


Rational: This story was written for all of those Digimon "fans" that claim that Tai never had any feelings but friendship toward Sora and that it didn't hurt him when she chose to be with Matt. I wanted to make sure that those people would have the chance to see things from his perspective and feel what it must have felt like for him.

WARNING: As a Taiora fan myself, I too feel that Tai and Sora are a good match, but the creators of Digimon did not feel the same way. I like to stick to original storylines and decisions while writing fanfictions. I do find creative little ways to work around that though, so their are a lot of cute little things I do with Tai and Sora in my writing. Just be aware that no matter how far off track I seem to be from the original story, I will always go back to where it needs to be.

Digimon

"Feelings"

Sora pulled her shirt over her head.

"I'm so excited, Sora," Biyomon said with her beak turned into a smile and her eyes squinted.

Sora turned to Biyomon and smiled at her. "Me too. It's been a long time since we've seen the Yokos."

Biyomon grinned while thinking about all of her friends. She had been born in the Yokomon village. She liked to protect and care for them. Sora had become good friends with them every since their first meeting in the Digital World. It had been a long time since they had gone back to see them though.

"Just one last thing," Sora said as she stepped into her shoes. She grabbed her digivice and turned on her computer. She smiled and said, "Let's go!"

The digiport opened through the computer and Sora and Biyomon were both pulled into the Digital World.

The two smiled at each other as they started toward the Yokomon village.

"Izzy! Izzy!" Tentomon called as he came out of Izzy's closet with Izzy's D-3. "Izzy, your D-3 has been buzzing with excitement."

Izzy turned away from his computer and looked to Tentomon.

Tentomon handed Izzy his D-3.

Izzy looked surprised as he read his D-3.

"What is it, Izzy?" Tentomon asked as he tried to look at the D-3's screen.

Mrs. Kamiya shook Tai, who was sleeping on the couch. "Tai, Izzy is on the phone for you."

Tai climbed off the couch and walked over to the phone. He picked it up as he rubbed his forehead to wake himself up. "What's up, Izzy?"

"Tai, have you heard from Sora at all lately?" Izzy asked in a frantic tone.

Tai made a confused face. "Yeah, she called me this morning and said that she was going to go to the Digital World with Biyomon. Why do you ask?"

"She sent me a message from her D-3 asking for help. You'd better come over right away," Izzy's voice rang through the phone.

A few minutes later, Tai was walking into Izzy's house.

"So what did the message say?" Tai asked as he pulled his shoes off.

Izzy led Tai into his bedroom. "You mean you didn't get the same message?"

"No, I didn't. I've checked my D-3 over and over," Tai told him.

Izzy made his thinking face. "This is becoming more interesting by the minute."

Tai pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket.

"What are you doing?" Izzy asked.

Tai dialed Sora's cell phone number into his phone. "I should have just done this before. I'll call her and ask what happened."

"That won't work if she's in the Digital World, Tai," Izzy warned him.

Tai waited until the ringing turned into the voicemail. "Hey, you've missed me, but if you leave me a message I'll call you back as soon as I can," Sora's recorded voice came into the phone.

Tai hung up the phone without leaving a message. "Something's definitely wrong." He checked out his D-3 again. There were still no new messages. "Why would Sora leave Izzy a message for help and not me?" he thought to himself.

Izzy opened the digiport and turned to Tai. "In her message she said she was in the Yokomon village. We'll start looking there."

Tai nodded. He hoped that Sora wasn't in too much trouble.

In seconds the two and their Digimon were transported to the Digital World.

Tai looked up to the Yokomon village in the distance. It didn't look like there had been any trouble there.

"What's wrong, Tai?" Agumon asked, looking back at his friend.

Tai looked to Agumon and smiled. "It's nothing. Let's find Sora and see what's going on."

Izzy stepped into the Yokomon village and looked around. "I wonder if she even got here, I don't see any sign of anyone."

Tentomon hovered next to his friend. "The Yokomon moved there village a little while ago, Izzy. If Sora said she was at the Yokomon village we should have made our way to the new village."

Izzy looked to Tentomon. "That information would have been much more useful before we left the real world."

"I hadn't thought about it," Tentomon said.

Tai looked at the ground as he walked. "There hasn't been anyone here for a long time." He looked to Agumon. "How are we supposed to find her?"

"You know Sora. If she wants to be found, we'll find her," Agumon assured him.

Tai looked up at the setting sun. "I hope you're right."

Izzy and Tentomon came running over to Tai and Agumon. "I've made a slight miscalculation and we need to head somewhere else," Izzy said as he reached Tai.

"Miscalculation?" Tai said.

There was a rustling in the trees next to the old Yokomon village.

Tai prepared himself, and Tentomon and Agumon stepped in front of the two boys to protect them.

Sora stepped out of the trees and fell face first toward the ground.

Agumon and Tentomon caught her before she got a mouthful of dirt. She was passed out.

Tai and Izzy quickly moved to them.

"Sora!" Tai said as he took her in his arms. He looked down at her face.

Sora was pale and her clothes were dirty. She looked like she had been wondering for a while. She lay with her head resting on Tai's chest.

Izzy checked her pulse. "She's all right. She must just be a little exhausted."

"Well that's good news," Tentomon said with relief.

"Hey!" Agumon said quickly. "Where's Biyomon?"

A sudden crash made all of them look up. A large Digimon with huge fangs and claws came walking up to them. It let out a large howl from its hairy lips.

"Oh, no! It's Beastmon!" Tentomon exclaimed.

"We'd better get Sora to safety, Tai," Izzy told him. "We can come back for Biyomon later."

Tai nodded, and the two boys and their Digimon ran back to the digiport.

Tai held Sora tightly as he ran toward the digiport. "Don't worry, Sora. We'll get you well again and then we'll come back for Biyomon," he said silently.

Izzy held his digivice out to the digiport and the five were transported back to Izzy's room.

Once back in the room, Izzy closed the digiport. "We wouldn't want Beastmon to come through here looking for us," he said.

Tai sat in the middle of the room holding Sora. He looked down at her. He had seen her sick before but now she was barely even looking like herself. Even her hair was shorter than it had been before.

"Is she gonna be all right, Tai?" Agumon asked.

Izzy came over to them and knelt down beside them. "She should be fine as soon as she sleeps a little. She can't do that here though, or my parents will get suspicious."

Tai looked up at Izzy. "Where am I supposed to take her then? My parents will flip if I bring home my best friend's girlfriend passed out like this!"

"Then the only logical choice is to take her home," Izzy told him.

"Okay, but what will we tell her mom?" Tai asked.

Izzy pulled his D-3 out of his pocket. "Sora's mom doesn't come home for another week. She's out of town with her new boyfriend. She left just before Sora went to the Digital World with Biyomon. She should be just fine there until we find out what's going on."

"We can't just leave her alone!" Tai told Izzy. "When's Matt getting back?"

Izzy looked to Tai. "You mean from his music tour? I don't know. He hasn't had a lot of time to email me and the emails I do get are from Gabumon."

Sora shook in Tai's arms.

Tai looked down at her. "Sora?"

Sora grasped at Tai's shirt. "Tai…" she mumbled in her sleep.

"Is she waking up?" Izzy asked.

"I think it was a subconscious reaction. At least we know she's okay," Tentomon said.

Tai stare down at Sora for a long moment, and then turned to Izzy. "Izzy, can you cover for me for a little while?"

Izzy gave him a confused look. "Cover you? On what?"

"I'm gonna tell my mom that I'm staying with you. I'll have her call me on my cell phone, but if she does call your house, just tell her I went for a walk. I'm gonna stay with Sora and make sure she gets better," Tai announced his plan.

"Yeah, and I'll keep and eye on her digiport in case Biyomon comes back through it," Agumon said.

Izzy gave Tai a slight doubting gaze. "You sure you want to do this, Tai?"

"When Matt comes back he can handle this, but until then Sora is my friend too and I'm going to take care of her. She'd do the same thing for any one of us, and you know it." He never took his eyes off of her face.

Izzy sat on his floor with a wondering look.

Tai lay Sora on her bed and covered her with a blanket. He looked at her for a quick second before turning to walk out the door. He noticed a picture of her and Matt sitting on her nightstand. He swallowed his feelings and started out the bedroom door. He noticed a large piece of poster-board taped up on the back of Sora's door. He stepped up to it and closed the door a little so that he could see it fully. He saw one of Sora's picture calashes that she had always made ever since he could remember. He saw a picture of him holding her when they went on a giant swing. It could fit two people, but one of them had to sit behind the other, and he sat in the back and held her around her waist the entire time.

Tai smiled a little and felt hope rise in his chest. He looked back at Sora. "So you didn't forget about me."

"What's wrong, Izzy?" Tentomon asked. "I haven't seen you so deep in thought since we were in the digiruins."

Izzy was leaning back in his chair with his chin in his hand. His face showed all of the worry he was feeling inside. "This has just become much more complicated. I probably shouldn't have involved Tai in this," he said as though he thought he had made a huge mistake.

Tentomon tilted his head to the side. "I'm confused, Izzy. Why would you want to find Sora on your own?"

Izzy looked to Tentomon. "It's not that at all. I'm just worried about what might happen with the history that Tai and Sora have between the two of them. I'd hate to betray Matt because I was concerned for her safety."

"Human's are such strange creatures. If a Digimon is in trouble, we go to help them no matter whose friend they were first," Tentomon said in his buzzing voice.

Izzy looked at his cell phone. "I wish it were that simple." He thought about it for a second, and finally picked up his cell phone and called Matt.

Tai sat on Sora's couch flipping the channels on the television. He had lowered the volume so that he wouldn't wake Sora.

Agumon was sleeping on the foot of the couch.

Tai smiled and shook his head at him. "Some guard you are," he joked.

"Tai?" Sora's voice came from behind him.

Tai jumped up and turned to face her. "Sora! Are you feeling better?"

Sora held her head. "What happened? Where am I?"

Tai walked over to her. "You're at home."

"That's my porkchop!" Agumon yelled in his sleep.

Tai put his hand to Sora's forehead. "Are you feeling all right? Can you tell me what happened to you?"

Sora wrapped her arms around Tai's chest and gave him a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "You were waiting here to take care of me?"

Tai felt his heart start beating faster. He hoped Sora couldn't feel it as well. "Y-Yeah."

Sora smiled. "I'm so glad that you care."

Tai felt his heart skip a beat. He slowly put his arms around her and hugged her back. "It's okay, Sora. I'm here to take care of you."

Sora tightened her hug a little tighter. "Thank you."

In the back of his mind, Tai knew he shouldn't be enjoying this as much as he was, but he couldn't seem to let her go. Something about the whole thing felt right.

A knock on the door woke Tai up. He lifted his head from the couch cushion. His eyes opened slowly as he looked into the sunlight shining in from the living room window.

"Tai, someone's at the door!" Agumon said as he came running into the room.

Tai got up and slowly walked to the door.

Sora beat him to it though. She looked out the peephole and opened the door. "Good morning, Izzy!" she said.

Izzy stepped into the apartment. "So you're up? How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling just fine. A good night's sleep really does the trick," she told him.

Izzy gave her a confused look. "Is this the first you've been up?"

Tai felt his heart sink in his chest. If Sora told Izzy about the night before he would surely tell Matt and then he would have to explain everything. "Hey, Izzy. You got here early. Did you find anything out about Biyomon?"

Sora turned and looked to Tai. "Biyomon?" she said slowly. "You mean she's not here?" She turned and ran into her bedroom, calling, "Biyomon!"

Izzy looked to Tai. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty. How did things go last night?"

Tai checked to make sure Sora wasn't listening. "She seems to be feeling better. She was talking a lot in her sleep last night though."

Izzy kicked his shoes off. "Well that's okay. At least we know that she's all right. Now all we have to do is find Biyomon."

Tai's cell phone rang, and Agumon answered it. "Hello?... Hi, Kari….Tai's right here," he told her. He walked up to Tai and Izzy and handed Tai the phone. "It's Kari."

Tai put the phone to his ear. "Yeah?"

Izzy looked down at Agumon. "Did you hear anything from Biyomon last night?"

Agumon shook his head.

Tentomon began to hover next to Izzy. "That's all right. Izzy has come up with a brilliant plan to find her!"

Agumon smiled. "That's great!"

"Okay, I'll see you in a little while then," Tai said to the phone. "Bye." He hung up the phone and put it in his pocket. "Kari's on her way. She said she'd help us look for Biyomon."

"In that case all I need is Sora's digivice for a minute," Izzy said.

Sora came out of her room. "Where is she?"

"It's all right, Sora," Tai told her.

"We're going to find her, Sora. I just need to use your digivice for a minute," Izzy told her.

Sora felt her pockets and ran back into her room. "I can't find it."

Izzy and Tai followed her into her room.

Tai turned to Agumon and Tentomon. "One of you needs to let Kari in when she gets here."

Agumon nodded and Tentomon saluted Tai. "Yes, Sir," they said at the same time.

Sora, Izzy and Tai searched the bedroom over and over and still didn't find her digivice.

"Could it be that we dropped it in the Digital World while we were running from Beastmon?" Izzy asked.

Tai thought for a minute. "That's possible."

Sora looked worried.

Tai smiled at her. "Come on. Cheer up. We'll just go back to the Digital World and find it. No problem."

"I'm here!" Kari said as she came into the bedroom.

Davis followed behind her. "Yeah, me too. So where do we start?"

Kari looked over at Sora. "So how are you feeling Sora?"

Sora looked up at Davis and Kari with confusion. "Who are you?"

Agumon walked into the room with Tentomon, Gatomon and Veemon walking in behind him. "Did you find it yet?"

Sora looked at Veemon and Gatomon. "Who are those Digimon?"

Kari looked at Davis and then back to Sora. "You don't recognize Davis and Veemon?"

Sora looked to Davis. "So you're Davis?"

Davis smiled and nodded. "Yep! That's me. I'm unforgettable!"

Sora then looked to Veemon. "And you're Veemon?"

Veemon smiled widely at her. "That's me!"

Sora smiled at them. "You seem friendly enough. It's nice to meet you." She then looked back to Kari. "So then, what's your name?"

Everyone stood around her in equal surprise.

Tai came over next to Sora and looked her in the eye. "You don't remember Kari?"

Sora gave him a look that showed all of her confusion. "Kari…"

Izzy opened his laptop and started typing.

Agumon walked up to Tai and Sora and looked Sora in the eye. "You remember me don't ya?"

Sora smiled at him. "Of course, Agumon, I could never forget you."

Tentomon hovered over as well. "What about me?"

"Don't be silly, Tentomon. How could I forget you?" Sora said with a slight laugh.

Tai turned Sora's face to look at him. "Sora, are you sure you feel all right?"

Sora nodded. "I feel just fine. I just want to go find Biyomon."

Tai looked to Kari.

Kari knelt down next to Sora. "Sora, you've known me for a long time. Do you really not remember who I am?"

Sora shook her head slowly. "I'm so sorry, but I don't."

Kari looked over to Izzy.

"Well she was unconscious when we found her. She looked like she'd been through a lot. Maybe she hit her head," Izzy suggested.

Sora felt her head as if she were trying to find a bump. "I feel so horrible that I'm forgetting you guys. I don't mean to, I promise."

Izzy finally turned his laptop toward her. A picture of all of the digidestined and their Digimon was set as his desktop background. "Why don't you tell me who you recognize in here?"

Tai gave Izzy a look, but then looked back to Sora.

Sora pointed to Kari and then to Davis and then Gatomon and Veemon. "They are right there and I'm right…but I don't know many of these people," she said. She looked over the picture again. A blank stare ran across her face until she came to Biyomon. "There's Biyomon." She pointed to Joe with Gomamon hanging off of his shoulders. "There's Joe and Gomamon. And there you are Izzy, with Tentomon. And Tai is next to you with Agumon."

Izzy held the screen toward her for a little while longer. "Anyone else?"

Sora looked over the photo again for a few more minutes, and then shook her head. "No."

Tai went to take her hand, but stopped himself. "So you forgot almost all of the team," he told her.

"You forgot about your boyfriend too," Izzy said. His tone showed his worry for what was happening around him.

Sora looked back and forth from Tai and Izzy then a thought hit her and she turned back to Davis. "It couldn't be him. He's so young."

Kari looked to Tai with severe worry.

Gatomon walked across the room and picked up the picture of her and Matt from the night stand. She handed it to Sora and smiled. "Remember him now?"

Sora looked at the picture. "This is my boyfriend?" She looked around the room. "So why isn't he here now?"

Davis put his hands on his hips. "Because he's a big rock star now, and he's got a huge tour to be on."

Sora gave him a confused look. "He's a rockstar?" She looked at the picture and looked back to Tai. "But I thought…I…Why don't I remember any of this?"

Izzy began typing on his laptop again.

"Maybe we can help you get your memory back. It shouldn't be that hard, right?" Kari said with her hand on Sora's shoulder.

Sora smiled at her. "You really think so?"

"Biyomon! Biyomon!" Sora called as she walked deeper into the digital world. Kari and Davis followed her close behind calling for Biyomon as well.

Izzy looked to Tai. "It's strange. Sora remembered you and me and Joe and our Digimon, but she has completely forgotten everyone else," he said as though saying it would bring the answer.

Tai nodded and looked over at Sora. "Maybe she's got amnesia or something," he suggested.

Izzy made a face. "But then why would she remember you and not Kari? It doesn't make sense."

Tai thought for a minute. No answers came to him. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Biyomon!" Sora called as she pushed a bush out of her way. "Where are you?"

Izzy looked down at his digivice. "I'm still not getting a signal from Sora's digivice."

"Those things only beep when somebody's really close anyway," Davis said.

Veemon began trying to climb a tree. "Then maybe we can see Biyomon from up here."

Gatomon watched him as he struggled to pull himself up. "You really are hopeless, you know." She then used her claws to climb up the tree quickly. "This is how the pros do it."

Kari looked to Izzy. "Maybe we should split up. We'd cover more of the digital world that way." She looked to Davis. He was digging in some tall grass. "I guess I'll take him with me."

"That would be a good idea," Izzy told her.

Tai looked at Sora and then quickly back to Izzy. "Did anyone call Matt and let him know what was going on?"

Izzy nodded. "I let him know. He'll be back as soon as the tour is over."

Gatomon jumped out of the tree gracefully.

"Well, you're no cat in a tree," Veemon told her.

Kari looked to her. "Did you see anything?"

Gatomon shook her head. "If she's here, she's well hidden."

Tai opened his D-3 and began texting on it.

"What are you doing now, Tai?" Izzy asked.

"I'm sending Mimi a message. We need her and the other American digidestineds help to find Biyomon," Tai told him.

Izzy nodded. "That's a good idea."

Tentomon came flying in from above. "There's no sign of Biyomon anywhere. We probably need to head elsewhere."

Izzy nodded.

The group had split up. Izzy was with Tai and Sora, and Kari and Davis went off on their own.

Izzy watched the way Tai looked at Sora. He hated the feeling that he was betraying Matt, but Tai had been his friend for so long. He had seen Tai and Sora grow closer and closer. He remembered when Tai was so close to telling Sora his feelings for her, and he was too late. He was trapped in an area he didn't want to be in.

"Biyomon!" Sora called out.

Tai looked at Sora. "There's something wrong, Izzy."

Izzy gave Tai a look. "Don't you think that's a little obvious?"

"I mean with the way Sora's acting. As a person. Not just the forgetting stuff, but her whole self. She's walking different, and…everything is completely different about her," Tai told him.

Izzy took the warning to heart, but he didn't want Tai being any more worried than before. "I'm sure it's just all the shock of what's happened to her."

Tai watched as Sora's hair swished when her head moved. "It's not just her actions. It's… everything…"

Biyomon's eyes opened slowly. "S-Sora…" She lifted herself off the floor. "I… have to find… you, Sora."

"Mimi! She's over here! I found her!" Palmon called as she came running over to Biyomon.

Palmon helped her friend to her feet.

Mimi came running over, followed by Michael and Betamon. "Biyomon! Let Izzy know!" she said to Michael.

Michael opened his D-3 and began texting Izzy.

Biyomon tried to force herself to her feet. "I have to help her! Sora… Sora… don't let him hurt her!"

"What are you talking about?" Palmon asked her.

"This isn't good," Mimi said her thoughts aloud.

Izzy heard his D-3 beep in his pocket. He pulled it out and opened his text from Michael. He closed it and looked to Tai. "Mimi found Biyomon. She's just as dazed as Sora was when we found her."

Tai smiled. "Better dazed than dead." He turned to where Sora was searching. "Hey, Sora, Mimi found Biyomon!"

Sora bounded over to Tai and Izzy. "Where is she?" she said as though she couldn't wait to find her.

"She's with Mimi," Izzy told her. He opened his D-3 and began texting Mimi and Kari at the same time. "I'm letting them know where to meet us."

Tai looked at Sora. She looked like herself, but there was so much that was different about her. He couldn't help but feel like something was missing.

Sora looked over at Tai. She pushed some unruly hair from her face. "What is it?"

Tai new more than anything now that something was very wrong. It was all in the way she pushed her hair back. Sora would always turn her hand if she did that, this time she didn't. It was small and insignificant, but if there was anything or anyone that he knew better than anything it was Sora. "Sora, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Izzy turned and started walking. "Lets get a move on."

"Hey, wait for us!" Agumon called as he and Tentomon came rushing after Izzy.

Tai began walking after them as well, but he couldn't shake his odd feeling about Sora. He looked back to see that she was looking straight ahead as though she were in a trance. "Sora!" he said as he stepped in front of her.

Sora blinked once slowly and then looked up into his eyes with a look as though nothing had happened. "What?"

Tai sighed. "Sora you can talk to me if something's wrong. I'll do whatever I can to help you."

Sora smiled at him and grabbed his arm in a hug with her own arms. "I'm fine. I just want to get to Biyomon!"

Palmon held Biyomon close to her.

Mimi sat in front of them. "Who did this to you?"

Biyomon looked up at Mimi, her strength slowly returning. "It was Datamon. He said he wanted the power of Sora's crest."

"He can't use the crest though, because those were destroyed when we faced Apocalymon," Palmon said.

Biyomon nodded weakly. "Yes, but he didn't know that. Sora told him and he took her."

Mimi smiled at her reassuringly. "Well, don't you worry. Tai and Izzy have her with them and they're on their way here right now."

Michael stepped forward and tapped Mimi shoulder. "Mimi, didn't you tell me that Datamon was destroyed along with Etemon?"

Mimi nodded to him. "That's right. But there are many Datamon." She looked back to Biyomon.

Biyomon shook her head. "No, Mimi, it was Datamon. He knew us. He came for us."

"Biyomon!" Sora called as she came running into the clearing.

Biyomon leapt out of Palmon's arms and flapped harshly to gain height. "Spiral Twister!" Green fire spiraled out of her wings and flew toward Sora.

Sora's eyes opened wide as she dodged out of the way.

Mimi jumped in front of Sora. "Biyomon, what's wrong with you?"

"Get away from her!" Biyomon cried. She fought with the air to keep her up, but her wings were too hurt. She fell to the ground.

Palmon helped Biyomon to her feet.

"What's going on?" Tai asked as he and the others reached the small group.

Mimi looked to Tai. "I have no idea."

"Biyomon, what's wrong?" Sora asked, looking past Mimi to Biyomon.

"Stay away from me!" Biyomon said as she struggled to get away from Palmon. "Let go of me! I have to find Sora! Who knows what Datamon has done to her?"

"Datamon?" Izzy asked aloud.

Agumon walked over to Biyomon. "Are you blind? Sora's right there."

Biyomon cast a frosty gaze at him. "You're the ones that are blind! That's not Sora!"

Tai looked at Sora then back to Biyomon. "There's only one way to find out." He walked over to Sora and helped her to her feet. "Sora, do you remember what I said to you when we were going to fight Devimon?"

Sora looked at him curiously as though she were searching her memories. "I…can't remember…"

"She can't remember because she's not Sora! Datamon took her away, and I have to find her!" Biyomon screamed.

Mimi looked to Biyomon. "Where do you think Sora is then? Since you don't think this is her."

Sora smiled at Tai. "You'll help me through this, won't you Tai?"

Tai looked at Sora's smile. "I think…Biyomon may be right."

Izzy took a step forward. "That's impossible. If this isn't Sora, then who is it?"

Mimi looked back to Sora. "Come to think of it, she does seem to be acting rather strangely."

Sora looked to Biyomon. "Biyomon, come here. I just want to hug you."

"Get away! I have to find the real Sora!" Biyomon called as she fought to release herself from Palmon and Agumon.

Sora turned and began walking toward Biyomon. "Everything's going to be all right. We'll be together forever from now on," she said as she extended her arms toward her.

"No! Don't touch me!" Biyomon yelled as she struggled.

Izzy stepped forward. "Something is not right here. Biyomon loves Sora."

Michael shrugged. "They are both confused. Maybe she doesn't recognize her."

Mimi looked to Biyomon. "No, something is not good here."

Sora reached her hand out to touch Biyomon. "It's ok…"

Biyomon pulled away. "No! Sora!" she screamed.

Just then a person jumped from the bushes and knocked Sora onto the ground. The person wrestled with Sora and pinned her to the ground. She lifted her head and her light brown hair moved back from her face to reveal that she…was Sora!

"Sora?" everyone exclaimed at once.

Biyomon ran to her side. "Sora!"

"Stay back, Biyo," Sora said as she pinned the other Sora's hands.

The Sora pinned called out to Biyomon, "Biyomon, help!"

Tai jumped forward and helped Sora pin the other Sora.

"Tai, what are you doing?" the pinned Sora asked.

Tai looked to the attacking Sora. "Sora?"

Sora looked at him, and then quickly grabbed her digivice from her shorts and pointed it at the pinned Sora's face.

The pinned Sora screamed and burst into bits of data the expelled into the air around the group.

Sora stood up without acknowledging Tai and scooped Biyomon into her arms while falling to her knees. She buried her face in Biyomon's feathers and took a deep breathe.

Biyomon smiled and hugged Sora back. "Sora! How'd you get away?"

Sora hugged Biyomon and released her to look at her face. "I had help."

From the bushes walked another digimon. It was a large digimon that was blue and looked somewhat human as well. He smiled and transformed back into a human. He laughed slightly and looked up at Sora. "It's not as graceful going back," he said. He had long dark hair and green eyes.

"Who are you?" Palmon asked.

"Sorry, I'm Cane," he said with an infectious smile.

Mimi smiled back at him. "Well, I'm all for you joining the group."

Biyomon nodded. "Thank you for saving my Sora."

Sora smiled at her and looked back to Tai. "Thanks for your help. I'm sorry for being so serious earlier."

Cane walked over to Sora and knelt next to her. "It's been a long journey. I'm sure you all will understand."

"A long journey overnight?" Izzy asked.

Cane looked back at him. "Excuse me?"

Izzy looked back and forth from Sora and Cane. "Sora's only been gone for one evening."

Sora looked to Biyomon.

"It's true," Biyomon told her.

Sora looked to Cane.

Cane smiled and laughed a little. "I guess I got us here at just the right time after all."

Sora stood up. "Thank you for that." She held Biyomon to her chest.

Tai walked up to Sora and placed a protective hand on her shoulder. He didn't like how close Cane and Sora appeared to be. "So where were you?"

Cane laughed a little. "I guess you were right about him being protective."

Izzy, Mimi and Michael came close to them as well.

Sora smiled up at Tai. "I figured he would. This is Tai."

Tai offered his hand to shake.

Cane took his hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

Sora motioned to the others. "That's Izzy, Mimi, and Michael."

Cane shook each of their hands individually. "Nice to meet all of you."

Cane looked back to Tai. "Don't worry too much. Sora wasn't exactly open to much of anything besides getting back here to you."

Tai looked at him surprised.

Sora laughed. "Tai's just a friend. Matt's my boyfriend."

Tai had heard the words a thousand times, but they still cut with a new burning each time.

Cane saw the reaction on his face. "Sorry, I assumed."

Sora rubbed her cheek against Biyomon's face. "It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I'm home."

Cane smiled. He turned to the rest of the group. "So, who's hungry?"

The group sat around a large table at the digimon restaurant.

"So what did you mean by long journey?" Izzy asked Cane.

Cane leaned back in his chair. "Sora and I have been travelling through the digital world for months now."

Sora hugged Biyomon while feeding her some bread. "We were lost in a time warp after Datamon's new laboratory blew."

"Is that how you are able to become a digimon?" Izzy asked Cane.

Cane looked away from him. "Let's just stick to how we got back here for now."

Tai looked at Cane. "So the lab blows, you and Sora somehow met up. Tell us."

Sora smiled and looked to Cane. "Cane was already in the lab. Datamon was attempting to do the same thing to him as he was me."

Cane put his elbows on the table and leaned toward Sora. "And we're lucky we got to save you in time."

Tai wanted to reach for Sora's hand and mark his place as being with Sora, but the thought of Matt came to him quickly. "Matt," Tai said. "Did anyone let him know what was going on?"

Izzy pulled out his laptop quickly. "I almost forgot! Thanks, Tai."

Mimi grinned at Cane. "So you helped Sora escape?"

Cane laughed a little. "Actually it was the other way around. Sora helped me." He looked to Sora. "I was trapped in suspended animation. I could see and hear everything around me, but was unable to do anything. When Datamon made a miscalculation and his machinery exploded Sora was set free. She could have run away by herself, but instead she helped me. I helped her in return."

"But how are you able to navigate the digital world through time and space. I assume you actually achieved this because you mentioned being together for a long time and that's inconsistent with how much time has actually past," Izzy said.

Cane smiled at him. "Got it all figured out, don't you?" He laughed. "You're right. That's my ability while I'm in my digimon form. I can travel anywhere and anytime in the digital world."

"Grodigious!" Izzy exclaimed.

Sora rocked Biyomon as she fell asleep. "I wasn't sure it was a good idea to trust him, but I wanted to get back to Biyomon and he promised he could navigate the digital world."

Cane scratched his head. "I got a little lost though. We ended up floating through everywhere that Datamon had been instead of right here. The good news is we actually got here this time."

Tai looked at Sora and then back to Cane. "So what about you? Where are you from?"

Cane leaned back in his chair. "That's a story for another time."

Tai watched Sora sleeping with Biyomon. He thought back to how easily he had been fooled by the fake Sora. "Would Matt have been fooled?" he thought to himself.

"Tai?" Mimi said as she came and sat next to him. "You're still awake?"

Tai nodded as he stare into the fire. "I couldn't sleep."

Mimi pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "You seem worried."

Tai cast a quick glance at Sora and then looked to Mimi. "Mimi, have you ever wanted something, but you waited too long and missed your chance?"

Mimi smiled. "Lots of times. I saw a pair of boots the other day that were perfect, but I didn't have the money for them, so I waited until the next week, and by the time I came back they were already gone."

Tai shook his head. "She would find a way to relate this to shopping," he thought to himself.

Mimi giggled. "But then I found another pair of shoes that were just as cute and half off too! It was like some type of sign, you know?"

Tai looked over at Sora. "What if that were the only pair of boots in the world that would fit your feet?"

Mimi scoffed. "Are you saying I have big feet, Tai?"

Tai quickly looked back to her. "No. I was just…never mind." He sighed. He stare back into the fire. He needed to clear his mind, or he was never going to get to sleep.

Cane winked at Sora one last time. "Since you're back with yours friends now, I think I'll get moving."

Sora smiled at him. "Thanks for everything."

Cane grinned. "It was my pleasure." He took one last look at Tai. "Make sure Sora's boyfriend doesn't get the wrong impression." He looked back to Sora. "She's great, but wouldn't go for a guy like me."

Mimi giggled.

Tai felt his jaw stiffen. "This guy is trying to tick me off," he said to himself silently.

Sora smiled and looked at the ground.

Cane stepped forward until he was right in front of her. He took her hand and placed a small silver circle in her hand. "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me."

Sora took the circle and nodded. "Promise."

Cane smiled at her. "Yeah." He waved once more to the group, and digivolved into his digimon form. "Time Phantom!" his now deep digital voice called. A flash of light engulfed him and he was gone quickly.

"Wow," was all that Michael could say. "That was a new one for me."

Mimi laughed. "I think it was for all of us. We should probably be getting home now though." She walked over to Sora and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you're all right."

Sora hugged her tightly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Mimi winked at her as they separated. "Don't let it happen too often, 'kay?" She grinned and started walking away with Michael.

Izzy looked back to the rest of the group.

"We gotta go too," Davis said with his hands behind his head. "We got a huge test tomorrow we haven't studied for."

Kari laughed. "You mean a test that _you_ haven't studied for."

Davis dropped his arms and gave Kari a surprised look. "You mean you studied?"

Kari nodded. "With TK."

Davis stiffened. "What?"

Kari rolled her eyes. "Come on, I'll help you study too."

Davis jumped with excitement. "Yes! I got a study date with Kari!"

Kari shook her head and started walking off, carrying Gatomon in her arms. "It's not a date, Davis."

Davis followed her with a skip in his step, and Veemon on his heels. "Can you believe how lucky I am?" he asked Veemon.

Veemon raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, who would have thought your laziness would pay off?"

Gatomon purred, "Maybe you should just leave him in his own little world."

Izzy turned back to Sora and Tai. "I'd like to see you home, Sora, but I have to get home too. I'm working on a new project, and my mom will wonder when I haven't come home."

Sora smiled at him. "Tai can come home with me, I don't think they'll be any more trouble from Datamon for a while."

Tentomon hovered near Izzy. "I think you're over-thinking things again."

Izzy smiled at him slightly and then waved to the others as he walked away.

Tai turned to Sora. "So, how about lunch?"

Sora smiled at him. "You want to eat now?"

Agumon grabbed his stomach as it began to growl. "I'm starved."

Biyomon giggled. "When are you ever not."

Sora pushed her hair behind her ear. "I guess I could eat."

Tai smiled at her. "Great! We can have a picnic like old times."

Sora laughed a little. "Sure. I'll go get the sandwiches."

"And I'll find us some soda." Tai said as he ran off.

Biyomon looked to Agumon. "That leaves finding a safe place to eat, to us."

Agumon groaned. "I'd rather go with Tai and find some soda…"

Biyomon flapped her wings and began flying off. "Then you can just stay here in the forest alone."

Agumon ran after her. "That's no fair!"

Sora smiled and looked around. She was really back to life as usual and all of her favorite people and digimon were still just as she remembered them.

Tai whistled as he walked toward the place where Agumon and Biyomon had found. He wasn't thinking about whether the three two-liter bottles of soda he was carrying was going to be enough, he could only imagine how much fun it would be to have a little time alone with Sora again for a little bit. Suddenly he realized that he was dreaming. He was going to have a picnic with Sora as her friend. This wasn't a date and couldn't be considered that. He knew Sora wouldn't think of it like that. He stopped walking, and felt his D-3 buzz. He pulled it from his pocket and read the message. It was from Matt.

_Tai,_

_Is Sora okay? I'm coming home early from my tour to take care of her. Let her know I'll be there soon._

_Thanks for everything,_

_Matt_

Tai felt horrible for ever thinking that Sora would look his way when Matt was always going to be first in her mind. Even the charming Cane couldn't pull her away from him. He started a new message to Matt.

_Matt,_

_What are friends for? We all helped get her to safety. Don't worry about coming back early, I can take care of her until…_

Tai stopped typing. "Until what?" he thought to himself out loud. "Until I go crazy because I can't tell her how I really feel? Until I break down and lose both of my best friends with just a few words?" He fell to his knees and let the bottles roll around him. He dropped his D-3 to the ground and grabbed his head with both hands. He groaned in anger and sadness. "Why couldn't I just have told you before you noticed I wasn't the only guy out there?"

"But you are the only guy here," a voice said.

Tai looked up to see a beautifully colored pink and white digimon standing in front of him.

She rolled one of the bottles back to him and smiled.

Tai stood up quickly. He had learned that some digimon may look kind but are really evil and could take him out without a problem. "Who are you?"

"Me?" the digimon said sweetly a she pointed to herself, "I'm Cupimon."

Tai gave her a weird look. "Cupimon."

Cupimon grinned and giggled. "That's right, and I think you may have been struck with one of my Love Arrow attacks without me noticing."

Tai gave her a curious look. "Why would you say that?"

Cupimon smiled mischievously. "I'm an expert at love, and I've never seen anyone hurt the way you do without being in love with someone that doesn't love you back, am I right?"

Tai reached down and picked up his D-3 and put it in his pocket without sending the message to Matt. He started picking up the bottles. "Yeah, maybe."

Cupimon grabbed one of the bottles and handed it to him. "On your way to a date?"

Tai felt his heart skip a beat at the word. "No. Just lunch with a friend."

Cupimon smiled. "You say that, but I know better."

"She is just a friend," Tai felt his heart cracking as he said the words.

Cupimon giggled and spun around. "I knew it! Maybe I should tell you a little secret of mine now that I know yours."

Tai gave her a look. "A secret?"

Cupimon grinned. "I can give you what you want. I can make her fall in love with you, or at least give you a shot at getting her to fall in love with you."

Tai almost jumped at the chance, but suddenly remembered Matt. "She loves someone else."

Cupimon shrugged. "How do you know?"

Tai looked up at her quickly, hope rising in his chest. "You can tell?"

Cupimon winked at him. "There's only one way to know. I can make her feelings wiped away and give you a fighting chance."

Tai thought for a minute about what she said. "Wipe her feelings away…"

Cupimon sensed him slipping away and moved closer to him. "Well more like suppress her feelings for a little bit. A kiss from her true love would break my spell, so there's no harm done if for some reason she does love the other guy."

Tai looked away from her, thinking. He didn't want to go behind a friend's back, and in this case he was cheating two friends. Unless he wasn't, and all the time it was actually Matt that had cheated him. Wasn't there a rule that said you couldn't date your friend's ex-girlfriends? Unless, Matt didn't count all the years that Sora and he had been practically dating. He should have asked if it was okay. He should have turned Sora down and let Tai have what he wanted more than anything. Wasn't he paying attention in the digital world? Was he just so blind that he couldn't see how he and Sora connected? Was Matt just ignoring every time he tried to get close to Sora? Didn't Tai have some claim to Sora after being friends with her for so long? Didn't he deserve his chance with her first? If Sora really didn't feel the same, then he could move on and Matt could have her back. Wasn't that only fair?

Cupimon glimmered with excitement. "Shall I make some magic?"

Tai looked up at her, and said, "As long as it won't hurt Sora."

Cupimon squealed and raised her arms over her head. "Yay!" She grabbed a bottle of soda and rubbed it with both hands. "Just get her to drink this, and she will be in love with whoever she spends the most time with, and a kiss from her true love will break the spell."

Tai nodded. "I can do that." He took the bottle and made sure he watched to make sure it didn't mix with the other bottles. He had to make sure that Sora drank it.

Sora sat on the picnic blanket watching Biyomon and Agumon argue.

"I deserve two sandwiches because I found the place!" Agumon argued.

"Don't be such a pig. Your belly doesn't need any more than one!" Biyomon scolded him.

Sora smiled at them both. "I brought more than enough. You can both have two if you want."

Tai came rushing to the blanket. "I got the soda."

Agumon grabbed the bottle that Sora was supposed to drink from, and went to open the lid. "Yum!"

Tai snatched it back quickly. "No Agumon, not that one."

Sora and Biyomon gave him a look. "Why not?" Sora asked him.

Tai hesitated, but recovered quickly. "Because I dropped that one on the way here. It'll fizz everywhere."

Biyomon laughed. "That would have worked out perfectly."

Sora shook her head. "Be nice to Agumon, Biyo."

Agumon turned away from them. "Well at least one person here cares about me, right Tai?"

Tai laughed. "Sure." He took a seat next to Sora on the blanket. "So, what kind of sandwiches did you get?"

Sora handed him one. "Healthy ones, so you won't like them."

Tai grabbed the sandwich and took a big bite. "I like any food you bring."

Agumon ate a huge bite of his sandwich. "Me too, especially cookies!"

Biyomon took a peck of her sandwich. "Delicious."

Sora smiled and began eating her sandwich.

Tai watched to make sure that the digimon were busy with eating before he spoke. "So next time you come to the digital world, maybe you should bring someone with you. I mean, Agumon and I don't mind."

Sora smiled at him. "I really think this was a one time thing. I can take care of myself. It was Biyomon that I was worried about."

Tai reached for a bottle of soda, he made sure that Sora was getting the one that Cupimon had told him to have her drink. "Want some soda?"

Sora nodded, and reached for the bottle. "I guess we're splitting, Biyo."

Biyomon grinned.

Tai thought back to a time when Sora would have only asked him to share with her, soda, candy, everything. He suddenly felt like he had wasted all the years of her being there.

Sora took a big gulp of the soda, and handed it to Biyomon.

Tai wondered if the soda would bother Biyomon.

Sora finished her sandwich and lay across the blanket. "This sure feels good."

Tai smiled at her.

Agumon grabbed a bottle of soda. "Think this is still fizzy, Tai?"

Tai turned to look at Agumon. "What?"

Agumon held up the soda bottle. "The one you dropped."

Tai then noticed that he had mixed up the bottles and that Sora had drank from the wrong one.

"It should be all right now," Sora told him.

Agumon opened the bottle and drank the whole bottle down.

Tai almost stopped him, but couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough.

Sora sat up and brushed some crumbs off the blanket. "How did your finals go, Tai?"

Tai looked to her as though he had been broken from a trance. "My finals?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, you took them right?"

Tai leaned back on his elbows. "As good as can be expected."

Sora laughed. "You should have studied with me."

Tai looked away from her.

Biyomon and Agumon were arguing again, so he figured they wouldn't be listening.

"I thought you'd rather be with Matt," Tai told her honestly.

Sora gave him a questioning look. "Rather?" She looked at her feet. "Tai, you're not letting things get weird, are you?"

Tai looked at her quickly. "What? No, no, everything's fine."

Sora smiled at him. "Liar. I know when you're feeling left out."

Tai laughed a little to hide his emotions. "I just…miss spending time with you."

Sora smiled at him. "Was that so hard? You can tell me anything, Tai. We're best friends."

Tai looked at the digimon one last time to make sure they were busy.

Agumon grabbed Biyomon's soda and ran off with it. "If you want it, you'll have to catch me!"

Biyomon followed after him. "Don't be such a child!"

Sora laughed at them, and pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, while placing her chin on the top of her knees.

Tai took a deep breath. "I can tell you anything, right?"

Sora leaned her head to the side and smiled at him. "You know you can."

Tai took another breath. Why was this so hard? Wouldn't she have been happy to hear this from him back when they were younger? "I miss you, Sora. I feel like I've lost you."

Sora leaned back to match his level. "You haven't. Maybe we'll get together a little more often. That should make things easier."

Tai looked away from her. "Yeah, easier."

Sora reached over and turned Tai's face toward her. "What's really bothering you?"

Tai swallowed all of his fears and pride and hoped that he wouldn't stutter when he finally spoke. "Sora, I…" He grabbed her hand in both of his, "I love you."

Sora smiled at him and came closer.

For an instant, Tai thought that he hadn't mixed up the bottles after all.

Until, Sora wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I love you too, Tai. You're my best friend."

Tai felt his heart swell and crumble at the same time. He bit his lip, and hugged her back. He couldn't stand this anymore. She wasn't dumb, she was just seeing what she wanted to see. Why had he been so fair? When she told him she was going to ask Matt out, he should have done something. He should have done something before then. He was too much of a coward. Why was this the one thing that he couldn't find courage for? "That's not it," Tai said without thinking. The time for thinking was over, and it was time for action.

Sora pulled back from the hug slowly. "Okay, then what else is bothering you?"

Tai shook his head. He hoped he wasn't blushing and that he wouldn't cry while doing this. He was all but sure now that he was going to be rejected. "It's not just because we're friends, Sora."

Sora gave him a curious look, but let him continue to speak.

Tai put both hands on her shoulders, and stare down into her eyes. This wasn't how he had imagined. His heart began to beat faster, and his mouth went dry. "I…I _love_ you."

Sora stared up at him worriedly. "Tai," she said in a foreboding tone.

Tai tried to fake a smile, but he was sure it was coming off fake. "I thought I could wait. I mean, wait for the Matt thing to get over with. I know, I haven't been like him…"

Sora moved back. Her body language was telling him to stop. "Tai, why are you doing this?"

Tai felt tears coming into his eyes, but he held them back. "Because I messed up!" His voice cracked enough that he was sure Sora was going to sense his losing it. "I should have told you back when we were kids, and before you told me that you were going to try to date Matt, and all the millions of other times that I looked into your eyes and couldn't look away." He grabbed Sora's hand in both of his. "I made the biggest mistake ever when I let you walk away. I should have done more before…"

Sora's face was somewhere between surprise and worry.

Tai decided both of those were better than anger. Maybe he did have a chance at what he was doing. "If I could go back in time and fix all of this, I would. I wouldn't let you walk away again."

Sora took her hand back slowly. "Tai, maybe, you're just going though retrospect and you're remembering things that…"

Tai shook his head. "I didn't imagine how we were together. Everyone remembers it. Sora, we were great together."

Sora moved back some more, and Tai noticed that he had been pushing her off the blanket. "It's easy to confuse friendship with love, Tai."

Tai felt his heart break. "You… think I'm confused?" his emotions leaked into his words.

Sora put her hand on his chest to keep his distance. "Tai, I thought you were okay with everything."

Tai leaned forward in spite of her hand reminding him that she wanted space between them. "I lied."

Sora pulled away from him and jumped to her feet. "It's a little late, don't you think, Tai?"

Tai looked up at her. "Yeah, but… I thought I could let you go and see if you came back."

Sora took a sharp breath. "You had years to say something, even after I met Matt."

Tai felt her words hit his heart just as hard as if she'd struck him in the chest. He knew everything that she could say to him, but he wasn't expecting for her to actually point out all the times that he already knew about.

Agumon and Biyomon returned with Agumon chasing Biyomon this time. "Stop it Agumon!" Biyomon yelled.

Agumon chased her around Tai and Sora. "Just wait up."

Sora caught Biyomon in her arms and held her away from Agumon. "What's wrong?"

Biyomon looked down at Agumon. "He's acting weird. He was running all over saying he was in love."

Tai grabbed Agumon.

"I am in love, Tai," Agumon told him.

Tai scooped him up. "I'll get this figured out." He turned to walk away, but stopped and looked back to Sora. "Can we at least talk a little more?"

Sora looked at him for a long moment, and then nodded slowly as though she regretted it.

Tai nodded and ran away with Agumon. He had to get back to Cupimon in order to fix the mistake.

Cupimon giggled when she saw Tai coming. "Hey, how did everything work out with the girl?"

Tai held Agumon out to her. "He drank the soda instead of Sora and now he's falling in love with everyone he sees!"

Cupimon put her fingers over her lips. "That's no good."

"Can you fix him?" Tai asked quickly.

Cupimon snapped her fingers and Agumon shook his head as though he had been woken from a trance. "I meant that the waste of the love potion was no good."

Agumon looked curiously up at Cupimon. "Love potion?"

Cupimon grinned and batted her eyelashes at Tai. "Need more for that girl of yours?"

Agumon looked to Tai. "_You_ wanted Sora to drink a love potion!" he said with surprise.

Tai put his hands up. "It was a moment of weakness," he explained.

Cupimon pouted. "So you're giving up?"

Tai nodded. "I got the answer I was looking for."

Cupimon moved closer to him. "Was it the answer you were looking for, or the answer you wanted? Because I can change it."

Agumon stepped between Cupimon and Tai, and stared at Tai in the face. "Tai, Matt and Sora are your friends and you're trying to ruin everything. Think about this!"

Tai felt his heart become heavy with guilt. How could he have thought he should trick Sora into loving him instead? How could he let it go this far? Now he was going to lose Sora as a friend and probably Matt too. "It's all over now."

Cupimon lifted Tai's face with one finger. "It's been my experience that girls don't just spend time with just anyone. My guess is she really loves you back."

Agumon pushed her back. "Look you, Tai happens to be best friends with her boyfriend!"

Cupimon blinked rapidly. "Well, that complicates things, doesn't it."

"I'm on my way home now," Matt said into his cellular phone.

"I'm just really worried about what's going on," Izzy explained on the other end of the line.

Matt pushed his bag into the back seat. He jumped into the passenger's seat and put on his seat belt. "Don't worry about it. It's Tai, he's weird sometimes."

"This was more than weird, Matt," Izzy told him. "I've never seen Tai that way."

Matt looked to TK in the driver's seat. "I'll talk to him about it and see what's up. Thanks for letting me know."

Tai put on a good shirt. He didn't need to look like a hobo when he was trying to get Sora to fall for him again. It was going to take a lot more than he thought.

Kari knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Hey, Kari," Tai said. He showed himself to her. "What do you think?"

Kari smiled at him. "You're dressed up. Where are you going?"

Tai checked his buttons. "I'm going to talk to Sora."

Kari walked over to Tai and hugged him tightly. "Good luck!" She turned and started walking to the door.

Tai turned to look at her. "You're not gonna tell me how stupid I'm being?"

Kari spun on her heel and smiled at her older brother. "Why would I do that?"

Tai thought that maybe she didn't understand what he was going to talk to Sora about. "No reason," he said with little emotion.

Tai saw Sora as soon as he entered the digital world. She had remembered where to come after all. "Hey, Sora," Tai said as he came closer.

Sora turned with a smile and hid it as soon as he came closer. "Hi, Tai."

Tai put his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for meeting me."

Sora nodded. "I don't want to end our friendship, Tai."

Tai put his arms up in defense. "I don't want that either."

Sora pushed her hair out of her face. "Good."

Tai smiled at her. "I think I was just going through that thing you were talking about."

Sora gave him a skeptical look. "You do?"

Tai smiled falsely, but then dropped it. "No, I was lying. I still have," he looked at her, "feelings for you."

Sora took a deep breath and leaned on a piece of broken ship. "I had a feeling."

Tai came and stood with her. "How long have you known?"

Sora sighed. "Christmas."

Tai looked at her surprised. "Really?" he almost laughed.

Sora smiled at him. "You made it a little easy."

Tai leaned back. "I did not," he defended. "I played it completely cool."

Sora laughed at him. "You tried to trick me under the mistletoe, twice."

Tai almost fell off his seat. "Whoa!" He smiled at her. "You noticed that, huh?"

Sora smiled at him. She shook her head and looked away. "Tai, I can't imagine life without you."

Tai put his hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to."

Sora looked up at him. "You have to be okay with me and Matt."

Tai swallowed all of his feelings down. "I can do that."

Sora smiled at him and pushed him off his seat. "Liar."

Tai caught himself and grabbed her in a hug. "Seriously, I can."

Sora hugged him back. "Thank you, Tai."

"He's doing what?" TK said in surprise.

Kari looked over at him. "I think he's finally going to tell Sora how he's felt about her for all these years."

TK stood in shock in front of Kari. "And you didn't stop him?"

Kari gave him a look that showed her offense. "Why would I?"

TK gestured with his hands. "Oh, I don't know, because she's dating my brother!"

Kari looked away from TK. "She likes Matt. He's cute and fun, but he's just temporary and you know that as well as I do."

TK couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Matt loves her!" he defended his brother.

Kari rolled her eyes, and stood to face TK. "Is _that_ what you think? Has he told her? Does he dream about spending time with her? Did he even notice she existed until _she_ asked him out?"

TK opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words.

Kari looked at him seriously. "Tai even told Sora he loved her. They do that all the time."

TK shook his head. "That's because they're friends."

Kari started walking away from him. "Believe what you want, but you should remember how Tai treated Sora when they were in the digital world better than I do."

TK watched her walk away. Tai had mentioned in the digital world how he wanted Sora to love him. He did also get to have a lot more time with Sora, and gave her special attention. Was Kari right? Was Matt going to lose Sora to Tai just because of an old friendship? He pulled his cellular phone from his pocket and held his thumb over the speed dial button for Matt. What should he do?

Sora looked up at the sky. The sun was shining on her face and sparkling in her eyes.

Tai had done well so far at hiding how much he wanted to be with her. He had to be able to do this. He would have to hide until Sora and Matt broke up with.

Sora looked over to Tai. "Do you remember in eighth grade when I wouldn't talk to you for a month?"

Tai laughed a little. "How could I forget? Those were the worst twenty-eight days of my life."

Sora leaned her head on a piece of wood. "I never told anyone about that."

Tai looked at her, surprised. "You didn't?"

Sora shook her head at him. "Never."

Tai looked away from her. "I told Matt…"

Sora smiled at him. "I know."

Tai looked back to her quickly. "He told you?"

Sora shrugged. "I figured you'd told him when he called me for a study group."

Tai laughed. "Matt in a study group?"

Sora smiled widely. "He's not the smoothest operator when he's trying to get other people talking again."

Tai nodded. He moved closer to Sora and rested his arm behind her. "What made you start talking to me again?"

Sora smiled at him. "I told you, I can't imagine life without you."

Tai smiled back at her. He took a second and then asked, "If I would have asked you back then…would you have been able to live with me?"

Sora looked away from him and to the sky. "You mean, would I be with you right now?"

Tai nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's what I'm asking."

Sora closed her eyes. "If you had asked me then…" she began, "I would have gladly dated you, but…"

Tai felt his heart sink with her words.

"I'd like to think I'd still be with Matt at the end of everything," she finished.

Tai took a breath and leaned away from her. "You really love him, don't you?"

Sora opened her eyes and stared up at the clouds. "It's like fate really. We all went to the digital world for some reason after all."

Tai didn't agree. They had to come to the digital world to save both the real world and the digital world. He couldn't imagine that a reason for them coming was so that Sora could meet Matt. If it was really destiny, wouldn't she and Matt have had some kind of connection at camp before they went to the digital world?

Sora sighed. "It's kind of funny actually. I had just started to like you when we came to the digital world."

Tai looked to her. "Really?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. I liked you for a long time in the digital world too."

Tai leaned closer. He was finally going to be able to ask the question that he needed the answer to so badly. "What made you start liking Matt instead?"

Sora looked to Tai for a second. "I never started liking Matt instead. We had a responsibility to save two worlds. I put that before my selfish worries."

Tai nodded. "Yeah."

Sora looked back to the sky. "I wanted to love you, actually. For a long time. You didn't need me though. You were able to do everything you needed to, with or without me by your side."

Tai came closer. "That's not true! I wanted you with me."

Sora put her fingertips to his lips. "I needed you more than you needed me."

Tai let his mouth hang open for a moment after Sora removed her fingers.

Sora smiled slightly. "Matt needed me just as much as I needed him. And after all the fighting was over, we still looked to each other for support."

Matt went through the digiport. He couldn't believe that TK would even imagine that Tai would try to go behind his back. He was sure he would make a complete fool of himself when he showed up at their meeting spot with no excuse, but his insecurities. He hoped Tai wouldn't be mad at him, or worse, Sora feel as though he had become controlling. He fell out into the world and looked around.

Tai and Sora were talking by the old broken ship. This had been a lake when the digidestined first came to the digital world. It was still the original digidestined's favorite place to meet for reunions.

Tai and Sora hadn't noticed Matt yet. He was just about to turn away from them, satisfied that they were only being the good friends that they really were, when he was curious to hear what they were saying. He promised himself he would only listen to a little bit.

Sora smiled to Tai over her shoulder. "Is there anything you didn't do back then that you wish you would have?"

Tai shrugged at first, but then his posture changed. He moved slightly toward Sora and looked down at her with eyes that Matt had only seen a few times in all his years of knowing Tai. He had seen him look like this when Sora had first gotten her crest to glow, when Sora sat with him after their biggest fight, and the first time Matt had taken Sora's hand in front of the group.

Tai smiled at Sora. "I wish I would have had the guts to do this sooner."

Sora looked up at him with curious eyes. "Do wha-"

Tai grabbed her face in his hands and pressed his lips to Sora's, keeping one hand holding her face to his and the other pulling her body close to his.

Matt ran forward toward the two of them. He was hurt that Tai would do something like this. He had trusted him, and he went behind his back to try to steal Sora. Izzy had warned him, others had warned him, but he had always trusted him! He had always known that Tai would never do anything to ruin their friendship. Now he saw that the entire time he was only doing it to steal Sora!

Sora pushed Tai back. "Tai!"

Matt took a shot at Tai and punched him in the face so hard that Tai lost his balance and landed on his butt. "What is the matter with you?"

Sora grabbed her chest in surprise. "Matt!"

Matt stood in front of Sora, looking down at Tai. "I thought we were friends!"

Tai slowly got off the ground, holding his face where Matt had punched him. "It's not what you think."

Matt gritted his teeth. "I _think_ you were kissing my girlfriend!"

Tai pulled his hand back from his throbbing face. "Okay. Maybe it's exactly what you think." He worked to pull himself off the ground.

Matt took on a prepared stance. "You'd better stay down, Tai."

Sora stepped forward and grabbed Matt's arm. "Matt, stop!"

Matt didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on Tai. "Of all people I thought I could trust you with the person I care about most!"

Tai got off the ground and laughed. "I'm sorry Matt. I didn't know you could trust me with _yourself_!"

Sora dropped her arms to her sides in anger. "Tai!"

Matt pushed Tai backward. "What did you say?"

Tai took a step back. "I said, if you loved Sora half as much as you love your band we wouldn't be fighting right now!"

Matt took a step toward Tai. He was angry now and wanted to hurt Tai the way he had just been hurt. He wanted to physically hurt Tai just as much as he hurt emotionally now. How dare he bring Matt's personal life into his twisted actions?

Sora stepped between them. "Stop it! Both of you! You shouldn't be fighting."

Matt looked down into her eyes for a brief second and suddenly came back to himself. He didn't want to be this violent in front of her. How would she be able to look at him the same again if he were so physical? There had to be a better way.

Sora looked to Tai. "I don't know what's going on with you, Tai, but you need to figure it out before you even think of calling me again."

Sora looked back to Matt and nudged him toward the digiport. "Matt, let's get you somewhere that you can cool off."

Tai took a deep breath, and opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself.

Matt wrapped his arm around Sora's waist and the two of them walked back to the digiport. He wanted to let Tai know that _he_ was with Sora and that wasn't going to change.

"I can't believe you told Matt!" Kari yelled at TK.

TK looked away from her. "He's my brother, and I don't care what you say, Tai does not love her more than he does."

Kari scowled at him. "TK, he wasn't here when she went missing and he didn't even think about coming back until she was already found."

TK shook his head. "He didn't come home because Tai told him he'd handle everything. Matt knows that Tai takes good care of Sora."

Kari stepped in front of him. "Exactly! Even _he_ knows that Tai could take better care of Sora!"

TK gave her an upset look. "Kari, I can't agree with you on this one!"

Kari took a step back and looked up at him with unbelieving eyes.

TK's expression softened, but his words were still firm. "I know you love Sora, and you think Tai loves her too," he took a small pause before speaking again, "But I love Sora too, and I've never seen Matt happier than when he and Sora are together. When she's not around the whole world seems empty, for both of us. I know how you feel right now, because I know how I felt when I was afraid Sora and Tai were going to be together and Matt would leave them both. Even back in the digital world, I hoped Sora would start to spend more time with Matt because I wanted her around."

Kari straightened a little as if she were bracing herself for impact. Tears formed in her eyes, but did not fall.

TK looked at her with the kindness that he always had before. "I know you want Tai and Sora together because you like Sora. You like Sora because she's nice to you and she gives Tai everything he wants and the support he needs. I _love_ Sora, because of all that we went through in the digital world. When Matt left, she was there with me. When Tai and Matt were fighting she would break them up. Sora was the glue that held everyone together, and I couldn't imagine life without her when we got home." He looked away from Kari for an instant and then looked seriously to her eyes. "Sora is already part of my family, and _nothing_ is going to change that."

Kari took a long breath and let a few tears drop before turning away from him and running home.

Tai's seven-year-old hand held a sparkler and watched the sparks explode. One spark bounced and came toward him. He jumped back to avoid being burnt.

Sora's seven-year-old self grabbed Tai's hand and pushed it into the proper position. "You should hold it like this, so you won't get hurt."

Tai looked at her.

Sora smiled and the wind pushed her short, light brown, hair into her eyes. She grabbed some and pushed it behind her ears. "You're always getting hurt."

Tai watched the lights dance across her face for a moment, speechless. "Sora…"

Sora smiled at him brightly. "You have to stop being so crazy, okay?"

Tai opened his eyes slowly to the morning sunlight. He rolled over in his bed and covered his eyes. He groaned into his pillow. He had thought after everything that had happened before, that he wouldn't be having the dreams about Sora anymore. It had been three days since she had last spoken to him. He had left her several emails, and more than enough voicemails. He knew that she must be mad at him to not have at least sent an email back, telling him that she needed some time to think.

A knock on the door broke his train of thought.

Tai covered his face with his arm. "It's Sunday. I'm sleeping in." He dreaded the thought of going to school on Monday. Would Sora even talk to him?

Footsteps came into the room, and closed the door behind them.

"Tai, you've been in your room all weekend, and you still haven't told me what happened," Kari's voice hovered over him.

"Not now, Kari…" Tai groaned.

Kari sat on the bed next to him. "What did she say?"

Tai rolled over and put the pillow over his head. "Just leave it alone."

Kari stood up without a sound. She sighed, and walked back out of the room.

Tai looked up from under his pillow to his desk. A picture of him, Matt, and Sora sat in a frame. He felt a twinge catch in his chest, and he curled back up under the covers.

Sora combed her hair, leaving it to curl at the ends as usual. She had been having a hard time looking at herself after what had happened. She remembered how upset Matt had been after she last spoke to him. She wondered if there were any way fix what had happened. She grabbed her shoes and book bag and ran to the front door. She didn't need to be late for school on top of everything else.

As she opened the front door, she came face to face with Matt. She smiled in surprise at him. "Matt, what are you doing here?"

Matt took her hand softly. "I thought we could go to school together today."

Sora smiled at him brightly. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Tai looked out the window as the rain came down. He wondered what he would say when he saw Sora in their next class. He had seen Matt drive her to school today, but he couldn't be there all day. Matt went to a different school. He wouldn't be there today or any other day for the rest of the week. Tai daydreamed for a minute about how Sora would react to him talking to her.

He imagined walking up to Sora casually, "Hey, Sora, I'm really sorry about what happened…"

He imagined Sora wrapping her arms around him in a hug and squeezing him tightly. "Tai! I'm sorry too. Let's never fight again!"

"Kamiya!" the teacher's voice broke his train of thought.

Tai looked over at him. "Yes sir?" he said all too quickly.

"Since you're so intent on learning today, why don't you tell us the answer to the problem on the board?" the teacher told him.

Tai looked at the question on the board. He hadn't heard a word from the point that he began his daydream.

The bell rang, signaling that the class was over.

Tai laughed. "Saved by the bell again, huh, Mr. Takanaka?"

The teacher shook his head and went back to his desk.

Tai grabbed his things and rushed out of the classroom. He had to be prepared for Sora. He checked his breath by breathing into his hand.

"Tai!" Izzy's voice called from behind him.

Tai stopped and looked back to Izzy. "What's up?"

Izzy caught up to Tai and stood next to him. "Is it true that you met Sora in the digital world?"

Tai shrugged. "Yeah. Why?"

Izzy's mouth practically hit the floor. "Are you crazy!"

Tai shushed him. "Calm down. What's the big deal?"

Izzy gave him a confused and worried look. "The big deal is that Matt is planning on giving Sora a promise ring!"

Tai's face showed all of his surprise. "He what?"

Izzy stood up straight. "You didn't know? Matt said he was going to give it to her after the tour."

Tai looked toward Sora's class that she would be coming out of soon enough. "Yeah, well, his tour got cut short."

Izzy looked at Tai confused. "So he came home early after all?"

Sora came out of her classroom, trailed by two of the girls she played tennis with.

Tai looked at her and was more determined than ever to get her back. "Izzy, I'm gonna have to talk to you about this later," he said as he began to run toward Sora.

Izzy watched after Tai, calling out, "Tai, I wasn't done!"

Tai caught up to Sora. "Hey, Sora."

Sora looked up to him as though she were amazed that he would even speak to her after all that had happened.

Tai looked to the other girls. "I'm sure you girls won't mind if I walk Sora to class."

One of the girls rolled her eyes and walked away, but the other looked to Sora before moving slowly away.

Sora held her book against her chest, and started walking toward her class.

Tai walked with her. "Sora, I'm so sorry about everything."

Sora didn't look him in the eye. "Tai, I'm still not sure how to handle this yet."

Tai stepped in front of her and grabbed her elbows with his hands. "I was out of line. I shouldn't have done anything. I messed everything up. I can't…"

Sora looked up into his eyes. Tears were forming in the corners of her light brown eyes.

Tai felt his heart jump up in his chest. "I can't go on without you, Sora."

Sora swallowed hard as though she were pushing her feelings back. She looked at her feet for a minute.

Tai knew what that meant. Sora only looked at her feet when she had bad news. He wanted to put up a shield to block his heart from being hurt.

Sora looked up at him, clearly fighting tears. "Tai, I need some time to think."

Tai felt the pain as though it were physical. Had he really just gotten broken up with, even though they weren't even dating?

Sora pushed past him. "I'm sorry, Tai."

Tai turned and watched her walk away. He thought for a minute to think of anything that might stop her from leaving.

Tai sat on a swing at the park that he and Sora used to come to. He looked at the swing next to him and a memory came to him. He remembered when they would come and sit together just to talk. Back before the digital world, back before they had met anyone else, back before Matt had even come into the picture.

"You look like you've been crushed," Matt said as he came to sit on the swing that Tai was looking at.

Tai was surprised to see him. He thought he would hate him forever.

Matt smiled lightly at him. "Surprised?"

Tai gave him a curious look. "You're not here to finish what happened, are you?"

Matt shook his head. "Not the way you're thinking. I wanted to talk to you about everything."

Tai looked at him from the corner of his eye, and then looked to his feet. "I'm sorry, about what I did."

Matt looked up to the sky. "I know. I'd apologize too, but you needed some sense knocked into you."

Tai laughed a little. "Yeah, I did."

Matt let a small pause pass before speaking again. "I know how you feel. I'd feel the same way."

Tai didn't speak. He knew that Matt had no idea how he felt. He wanted to be with Sora and he was never going to get that. If Matt had never come into the picture, Sora would have been perfectly happy with him. Matt would have gone on to do everything that he was already doing and would have found someone else. He wouldn't have had to feel the pain that Tai was feeling.

Matt didn't make eye contact as he asked the next question. "You still love her, don't you?"

Tai had the answer right away, but couldn't force the words out of his mouth. "I….do."

Matt smiled and closed his eyes. "I was so sure that you were over her."

Tai looked over at Matt. "Really?"

Matt shrugged. "I guess I just didn't understand how much history the two of you had."

Tai nodded and looked across the park to the place where he and Sora had been playing when they were in middle school. He remembered when they would lay on the grass and look at the clouds together. He remembered the first time he tried to kiss her, and then the thought of when he finally did get to kiss her came to him mind. He remembered how warm her lips had been, how soft her body had been, how amazing it had felt to be so close to her. How had he taken all of that for granted?

Matt looked over to Tai. "I didn't think it was going to hurt you, you know."

Tai nodded. "I know. You couldn't have known."

Matt shrugged. "I should have. I was your best friend. I should have known she meant more to you than that."

Tai shook his head. "You couldn't have seen it. I was such an idiot. I could have made her happy. I could have told her sooner. I could have done so much different. What was I thinking?" As he continued to talk, his words became more his own thoughts than his talking to Matt. He felt tears coming to his eyes. His chest felt as though there was a large hole in it that had been filled with ache.

Matt put his hand on Tai's shoulder. "You were young, Tai."

Tai shook his head. "I was stupid. She loved me for so long…I just always thought she'd be there, that I'd always have another day to say everything I needed to say, and do all the things I needed to do."

Matt sat next to him, listening to what he had to say.

Tai bit his lower lip to keep himself from crying. "And when I finally did figure out that there wouldn't be another day, she'd already moved on. I was with her the night before. She was just the same. I just…" He swallowed a lump in his throat that he was sure was his heart jumping to stop him from causing it more pain. "I guess she never looked at me that way. I thought I could have room for a best friend because I thought there was something between us. I always thought… I always thought she was going to be with me one day. I never thought she'd fall for someone else."

Matt nodded soberly.

Tai looked over to his friend. "Why are you really here?"

Matt shrugged. "I didn't want our friendship to end like that. I knew what I was getting into when I started dating Sora. I knew you liked her. I just had no idea how much."

Tai shook his head. "Did she talk to you about this?"

Matt nodded, and looked calmly to the side. "She was pretty insistent that I talk to you in person, which is why you haven't heard from me until today. She said she didn't want to be the reason we stopped being friends."

Tai put his faces in his hands. "That's Sora. She's always the one to make everything better."

Matt patted Tai's shoulder.

Tai lifted his head quickly. "Wait! She told you to come? So she's not mad at me?"

Matt looked at Tai as though he was unsure of answering. "I wouldn't say that."

Tai hung his head. "Yeah, I thought not. I knew I did too much this time." He supported his arms on his knees. "She hates me, doesn't she?"

Matt took a moment before answering. "I wouldn't say that either. She's mad and worried, but doesn't hate you."

Tai looked at his feet. "What's wrong with me? What was I thinking? I had my chance, and I blew it. I blew it even when I didn't have a chance anymore!"

Matt looked out at the park. "Remember back in the digiworld, when you and I were fighting so badly?"

Tai nodded.

Matt smiled. "I would get so mad when she'd side with you. When I'd turn around and she was clearly more interested in you than me. I tried talking to her a few times at camp, and she was nice to me but…" he looked to Tai, "but it was never anything like how she was with you."

Tai looked to Matt. "You were trying to talk to her at camp?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was doing before the snow storm hit. She wasn't on your heels as usual, so I thought I could take my chance."

Tai thought back to what Sora had said back in the digital world about thinking that she would end up with Matt even if they hadn't gone to the digital world in the first place. At the time, he had thought it was a silly idea, but now he was thinking that she could have been right.

Tai looked to Matt. "Are you really getting Sora a promise ring?"

Matt leaned back in his swing. "I was thinking about it."

Tai hung his head and made sure he couldn't see Matt's face. "Do you love her?"

Matt paused for a moment. "I do."

Tai bit his lower lip to keep from crying.

Matt leaned forward again. "Tai?"

Tai stood up quickly and swallowed all of his feelings. "It's okay. I mean, you guys are great together."

Matt looked up at Tai seriously. "I'm not giving her a promise ring. I'm going to wait until she's done with school."

Tai shrugged. "I mean, if that's what you think would be best."

Matt stood slowly and walked up to Tai. "I can't be with Sora, if you're not going to be supportive."

Tai stood still for a minute. "I'm totally supportive. Like I said, you guys are great." He felt his throat catch in the last sentence, but he hoped Matt would miss it.

Matt shook his head. "I'm going to have Sora talk to you. I won't keep you two from hanging out, as long as you've gotten all of this out of your system."

Tai felt the hole in his chest burst with more pain. "It won't happen again."

Matt smiled and put his hand on Tai's shoulder. "I'll see you at the concert tonight then, right?"

Tai nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Tai walked around the digital world aimlessly. Where had Agumon gone?

"Whoa? Hey, Tai, right?" a voice came from behind him.

Tai turned around and saw Cane standing behind him.

"So how's Sora doing? That boyfriend of hers treating her good?" Cane said as he stepped forward.

"Yeah, I guess. What are you doing here?" Tai asked.

Cane shrugged. "This is my favorite time period. What about you?"

Tai looked at his feet. "I just needed to get away from this time period for a while."

Cane looked at his face. "You do like her, don't you?"

Tai looked at him quickly. "What?"

Cane scratched his head. "I figured you liked her. I didn't know you weren't with her though. I guess I just couldn't imagine that a nice girl like her would string a guy along like that."

Tai almost jumped at him. "She's not stringing me along!"

Cane gave him a curios look. "So you're just willingly hoping for a relationship that isn't going to happen."

Tai looked to the ground. "It would have happened if I hadn't been such a…" suddenly an idea came to him. Cane could travel through time. If he could go back in time, he could go back to a time in the digital world where Sora and he were close to being together. "Hey, do you think you could help me out?"

Cane gave him a confused look. "Sure, I guess."

Tai smiled at him.

Cane and Tai dropped into the past.

Tai looked around. He knew this was the time, back in the digital world. He and Sora would be sitting by the fire for a long time talking to each other while standing guard. He needed to tell himself to make a move while he had the chance.

Cane folded his arms and looked around. "It's like watching memories isn't it?"

Tai nodded. "Only better."

Cane shrugged. Yeah, kinda."

Tai saw himself walking into the trees. He must have been looking for a place to use the restroom. Tai ran up to his younger self and pushed him against a tree and covered his mouth.

Young Tai struggled and looked up at Tai wide-eyed.

"Tai, what are you doing?" Cane yelled as he came closer. "You aren't supposed to touch anyone!"

Tai looked into his younger self's eyes. "Listen to me. I'm you from the future. I came back here to tell you to take your chances with Sora. If you don't, you'll lose her to someone else. She's not going to wait for you forever, so you'd better do something about it!"

Young Tai relaxed, and Tai released him. "You came back in time just to tell me that?"

Tai nodded. "Everything else works out. The digital world, the real world, it's all fine. The only thing that gets destroyed is me and Sora. I have to make sure that doesn't happen."

Young Tai pulled back a little. "I don't get it. Sora's my friend."

Tai slapped himself in the forehead. "Are you listening to me? You won't always feel that way. She's the best thing that will ever happen to you, and you don't realize it until you're too late!"

Young Tai tried to walk away. "Sora and I aren't like that."

Tai grabbed his young self's shoulders. "You're not right now, but you will be. Take it from me. You spend a good portion of your life thinking about how stupid you were for not kissing her when you got the chance."

Cane grabbed Tai and pulled him back. "I think we need to review the rules for time travel!" He looked back to the young Tai. "Just ignore what he said. You and Sora are friends, and nothing more."

The young Tai sat, confused on the ground.

Cane and Tai were suddenly flashing back to the present.

Cane dropped Tai onto the ground. "Okay, when I said the past is like a vacation, I meant a vacation where you don't talk to anyone or tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do!"

Tai stood up slowly, and let a large smile run across his face. He suddenly remembered the almost kiss in middle school very differently. He had taken his shot. He had kissed her. He turned to Cane and patted his shoulder. "Thanks, I owe you one!" He turned and began running toward the digiport. He had a good reason to be going home now.

"You'd better not tell Sora I let you do that!" Cane called after him.

Tai knocked on Sora's door. He was out of breath from running the whole way. He was far too excited. He was finally going to get what he'd always wanted.

Sora answered the door and looked out at him surprised. "Tai? What happened to you?"

Tai grabbed her shoulders. "You did!" He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

Sora placed her hand on Tai's chest and gently eased him off. She smiled at him, and asked, "What's gotten into you?"

Tai looked down into her eyes longingly. "I just woke up from a really bad dream."

Sora laughed at him a little. "Feeling better now I guess?"

Tai nodded at her. "Much better." He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close to him.

Sora wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.

Tai took a deep breath of her scent. He felt her warmth against his chest. The hole in his chest was gone, filled with her love. He could feel her feelings for him. He could feel her love. He was right. If he had just taken his chance earlier, they would have been happy together. She couldn't have been thinking about Matt at that moment. She had to be thinking only about him. He could feel her devotion. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.

Sora smiled and hugged him tightly. "I love you too, Tai."

Tai closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again he found himself in the digital world. He looked around and saw Cane standing by another Cane.

"I told you, you can't play with the past. I had to come back and fix things," Cane told him.

One of the Cane's then nodded to the other and went away through time.

Tai felt the hole in his heart come back. "You didn't have to. You could have left everything alone."

Cane shook his head. "No, Tai. Sora loves Matt. I can't let you ruin that for her."

Tai rounded his hands into fists. "She loved me too! Didn't you look into the future?"

Cane nodded. "Yes, I did."

Tai suddenly felt his shoulders drop. "She doesn't love me?"

Cane rolled his eyes. "She does love you, but you never love her the way you do now unless you lose her to Matt."

Tai felt the words like a kick in the gut. He was so stupid that he had to hurt like this to know that she was the one? What was wrong with him?

Cane folded his arms over his chest. "I know it's hard to take, but she's meant to be with him. No matter what you do in the past, no matter what you do now, she will always end up with him."

Tai felt tears building behind his eyes. "I'm really this stupid…"

Cane nodded. "Pretty much."

Matt walked over to Sora backstage, and kissed her cheek tenderly. "Are you ready?"

Sora looked at her hands. "I honestly don't know."

Matt smiled at her. He cupped her face in his hands and urged her to look at him. "You'd never forgive yourself if you let your friendship end."

Sora smiled at him. She placed her hands on his and stared up into his eyes. "I don't deserve you."

Matt smirked. "Really? Because there were some other girls today…"

Sora pushed him playfully. "Oh, be quiet."

Matt laughed and ran the back of his fingers across her cheek. "We've got to make everything right again."

Sora smiled at him lightly. "I know. I'm just scared to hurt him."

Matt nodded, and looked at Sora with a love so strong it made the rest of the band uncomfortable, so they left the room.

The concert went better than anyone had expected. The crowd was going insane. Girls screamed and practically ran over Tai to get a better view of Matt's band.

After the concert, Tai was supposed to wait outside for Matt and Sora. He looked around at the people leaving. He needed to look at things that he was detached to. What was he going to say? What if Sora was still mad at him?

"What are you thinking about?" Sora said as she came to stand next to him.

Tai looked to her quickly. She was alone. He had thought that she would come with Matt. "How stupid I am," he answered.

Sora smiled and shook her head. "Not stupid. A little crazy, but not stupid."

Tai looked at her. He was stupid. How had he not seen what was there for so long?

Sora took a deep breath. She looked up at Tai with unwavering eyes. "I love you, Tai. I don't want to stop being friends."

"I don't want that either," Tai said, involuntarily moving toward her.

Sora looked at him seriously. "I don't want you to hurt like this anymore. I want us to be friends. You were always ok with that before."

Tai nodded. "Yeah. I know."

Sora touched his cheek gently. "We can be the best of friends."

Tai took her hand and held it carefully. "I know."

Sora looked up at him kindly. "Is that not enough anymore?"

Tai looked away from her for a minute. "I wish things were different."

Sora smiled at him slightly. "I don't."

Tai looked back to her quickly. He hoped the lights weren't betraying him by showing the tears in his eyes.

"I'm glad for everything that happened. I met Matt, Biyomon, and we all grew together as friends," she squeezed Tai's hand in hers. "Especially us. You're my best friend. You can tell me anything, and you pretty much have."

Tai nodded and looked away again. It was too hard for him to look her in the eyes. "Yeah."

Sora turned Tai's face to hers. "I'll always be right here, Tai. Being with Matt won't change that."

Tai looked at her face, lit by the streetlamps. She was beautiful. How had he never noticed before?

Sora led Tai down the street by the hand. She stopped by a street lamp and looked back to Tai. "Here, she said as she handed him a small stone. It's a wishing stone."

Tai smiled at her and almost laughed. She had done this before. He remembered. It was on Valentine 's Day, and he had been too blind to notice that she had started to like him.

Sora smiled at him. "So you do remember."

Tai hugged her tightly. "I wish we could both have you. I don't want to hurt Matt, but I can't ignore the way I feel about you."

Sora hugged him back. "It'll be all right."

Tai nodded and tried to hold back the tears that were trying to force their way out. "I know. I just wish I hadn't been such an idiot." His voice began to crack, and he knew that it was all going to break loose soon enough. "I could be standing here with you under different circumstances. It would have all been different. Why am I always the last one to see what's been there all along?"

Sora hugged him tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder and let him release all of his feelings.

Tai felt her body heat in his arms. His heart broke over and over again with every word he said. "I knew in the digital world. I knew when I lost you to Datamon. I knew when you were breaking up the fights me and Matt would do. I knew back then. I was just too stupid to do anything about it. I knew I couldn't do anything without you right there beside me."

Sora shook her head. "No, Tai. You never needed me. You were always able to do everything by yourself."

Tai held her closer to him. He reached up and felt her hair. "This is going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'll need you."

Sora moved away from him and looked up into his eyes. "I'll be here."

Tai felt the romance all around him. If the circumstances were different, he would have kissed her. He would have held her for a long minute more. He would have done a lot of things, but he couldn't. He had to make sure that he didn't chase her away again. He couldn't lose her to his stupidity.

Sora sat cross-legged on the floor. "Okay, so what about Rome?"

Tai lay across the couch trying to balance his pencil on his nose. "What would we write about though?"

Sora looked through the textbook. "I don't know. I was just suggesting an idea." She looked up to Tai for an instant. "Unlike some people."

Tai shrugged. "I'm thinking. Genius takes time."

Sora looked through her book. "Yeah, so does brainfreeze."

Tai smiled at her. They had been back to normal for a few weeks. Matt had gone off on another tour, to make up for the one he bailed on before. Tai rolled onto his side. "So let's pick something easier then."

Sora looked through her books. "Like what?"

Tai shrugged. "Like something that we won't need to spend all week on."

Sora smiled and stood up. "So you can have more free time?" She started walking into the kitchen.

Tai flipped a page in the book. "Maybe."

"Want anything to drink, Tai?" Sora called from the kitchen.

Tai hung over the back of the couch to look at her. "Soda?"

Sora grabbed a soda for Tai and a bottled water for herself. "Just don't spill it."

Tai took the soda from Sora and opened it. He made sure not to spill.

Sora took a drink of water. She looked through the books some more.

Tai looked down at the homework. They had to finish this report. If they did it soon, he might have a little more time to just hang out.

Sora raised her index finger to her lips and seemed to be fighting her urge to bite her fingernail. She was notorious for her nail biting.

Tai tried to focus on the homework, but he kept looking back to her involuntarily. He noticed how much longer her hair had gotten. He watched her focused eyes. He looked to her finger, resting on her lower lip as she read through the contents in the book. The memory of him kissing her in the digital world came, uninvited, to his mind. Looking back now, he was able to think about whether or not she had liked it. It had taken her a long time to push him off, and even then she didn't seem all that mad. Maybe she had wanted it too? She had to have seen it coming. She had to have wanted him. All those memories they had talked about before. She couldn't be without feelings. He knew she loved him back then. If she were really honest, she must still love him now. She just…loved Matt more.

Sora turned the book to Tai. "England? There's a lot there to choose from."

Tai looked at the book and his eyes came upon Paris. "Paris sounds good."

Sora looked at the book, and back to Tai quizzically. "You want to write on Paris?"

Tai shrugged. "That's a quick one."

Sora shook her head and sat the book down in front of her. "Fine. We'll do Paris. You start looking for information from that book then."

Tai reached for the book. A thought finally came to him. If they finished the project early, he could ask her to stay for a movie.

Sora flipped through the pages of one book and left it sitting open on the floor as she reached for another one.

Tai open the book as though he were looking for information. "So, if we get this done quick, you want to watch a movie?"

Sora looked up to him. Her face showed that she was suspecting of his tone.

Tai put a hand up in defense. "As friends."

Sora turned back to the books on the floor. "Maybe if we get this done. I need to be home by ten."

Tai jumped to the floor. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get this baby done!"

Sora laughed a little at him and continued flipping through the books.

Tai sat with his back leaning on the couch, and his legs lying in front of him. Sora had fallen asleep on his shoulder about twenty minutes into the movie. He could have woken her, but having her warm cheek lying on his shoulder was more than he could hope for at the moment. He looked down and saw her hand resting gently on her leg. He reached down and snaked his fingers in between hers. He remembered what it felt like to hold her hand before. The first time she had held his hand, he remembered being so embarrassed. He remembered scolding her for it. He ignored what he had done in the past. He had right now to think about. He wrapped one arm around her, letting her head slide onto his chest. He ran his free hand through her hair for a second.

The door opened behind him. "Tai, weren't you supposed to be doing a project with Sora tonight? Why are you watching TV?" Kari said loudly as she entered the house.

Sora woke up suddenly and looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh! I need to go." She stood quickly and grabbed her books from the floor.

Tai moved and helped her pick up her books. "You can call your mom if you want. She'll understand."

Sora grabbed her books and fumbled with them as she went toward the door. "I'll make it on time. Don't worry."

Tai walked her to the door. "Maybe we can hang out tomorrow after school. Now that the project's done and all."

Sora held her books in her arms as she walked out the door. "Yeah, maybe. Thanks, for all the help, Tai." She smiled slightly and began running away.

Tai leaned on the door frame and watched her until she was out of sight. "No problem," he said dreamily after her. In the back of his mind he remembered that Sora was with Matt and that she wouldn't call him.

Matt stood by a tree in the digital world. He needed to talk to Tai about everything. He wanted to make sure that he was doing better. They were still friends, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Tai came walking toward him carefully with his hands in his pockets. "Hey, Matt."

Matt nodded to him. "Hey."

Tai came closer and took a moment of silence before saying anything. "So how's everything?"

Matt nodded. "It's good. How are you doing?"

Tai shrugged. "I'm surviving."

Matt looked at Tai seriously. "Are you sure?"

Tai ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah. Just, taking some time."

Matt looked away from him for a minute. "Sora said we should maybe do some more things together."

Tai looked to Matt curiously. "All three of us?"

Matt looked to Tai. "Just you and me."

Tai laughed a little. "Well, that's cool. I've been missing our guy time anyway."

Matt sighed and pulled himself away from the tree. "Tai, I'm your friend. I've been beside you for a long time. I know when you're lying."

Tai looked to Matt with a look he couldn't place.

Matt looked at him seriously. He knew by the flushed look on Tai's face and the milky shine in his eyes that he was struggling to stay just friends with Sora again. Matt knew that look. He knew Tai back when Sora was finally getting over him and he was too stupid to say anything. Matt knew the look on himself as well. He remembered watching Sora smile at Tai, watching her touch him, having to remind himself that he couldn't betray Tai's friendship and do anything. He remembered hating the digital world for bringing everyone together and bringing him within inches of something he would never have. "Are you going to make an effort to get over Sora?"

Tai looked away from Matt. "I'm trying."

Matt shook his head. "You know, for being the leader of all the digidestined that never gave up on anything and always ran in headfirst, you are taking your time with this one."

Tai looked at Matt with a slight anger in his eyes. "You try it."

Matt straightened up to show Tai that he was serious. "I did. For years I watched as you took her for granted! Even when she was finally over you, I had to sit and wait until _she_ asked me out!"

Tai looked away from Matt. "Like _that's_ so important. She asked me out before too."

Matt moved closer to Tai. "I'm serious, Tai! Sora and I are trying to save our friendship, and it's like it doesn't even matter to you!"

Tai moved into Matt's face. "It does matter! Don't talk to me about friendship!"

Matt was offended. His crest was friendship. He should know a little about it.

"Whoa, what's the big deal here?" Cane said as he appeared in front of the boys.

Tai looked to Cane. "Cane, what are you doing here?"

Cane walked up to the boys. "I was in the time period. I heard Sora's name and decided to see what was going on."

Matt looked Cane over. "Who are you?"

Cane offered his hand to shake. "Cane. I helped Sora get back here after Datamon captured her. You must be Matt."

Matt nodded as he shook his hand. "Yeah. Thank you for all your help. Sora mentioned you."

Cane laughed. "I'm flattered. I'm sure it wasn't anything like the way she mentioned you."

Matt smiled and felt his heart getting warm.

Cane looked to Tai. "So, tell me you're getting better."

Tai looked away from both of the boys. "It's not as easy as everyone thinks."

Cane shrugged. "Well, maybe I should stick around so you guys don't have a duel to the death over her."

Tai's eyes lit up and he looked to Cane. "That's it!"

Matt looked to Tai, wondering what could be going through his mind now.

Tai looked to Cane. "Could you make Matt and I go back to ourselves a few years ago in the digital world when Sora didn't like either of us better than the other?"

Cane looked at Tai curiously. "Yeah, but you know I don't want to mess with the time continuum."

Tai nodded. "I know, but you could always just go right back to this moment and stop it from ever happening. I just want to have a duel for Sora while the playing field is fair."

Matt folded his arms over his chest. "Fair, huh? And how is this fair?"

Tai turned to Matt. "Sora told me there was a point in the digital world that she liked us both, but didn't decide who she wanted to be with because we were trying to save both worlds and get home. If we go back, you and I can both try to get her to choose, and whoever she chooses can have her here and now."

Matt looked at Tai, hoping that the anger on his face was burning through. How could Tai even ask something like that? He thought about his offer for a second. This could work in his advantage. He could finally stop calling himself a wuss for not trying for Sora sooner. He smiled slightly at Tai. "Fine, but when we come back she still has to make the choice. And when she chooses me, you drop this forever."

Tai nodded. "_If_ she chooses you, I will."

Matt looked to Cane. "Let's do this."

Tai looked to young Matt. "You sure you're up to this?"

Matt look back at him with the same smugness that Tai remembered from years ago. "Always."

Tai smiled and looked down the cost of the water. "Cool, he even took us to a time when we weren't in battle."

Matt looked around. He saw Sora sitting by the water, gathering some in her makeshift watercan.

TK came running up to Matt before he could walk toward her though. "Matt, where were you? We're making beds." He grabbed Matt's hand and started pulling him toward the rest of the group.

Tai smiled at Matt and waved as he ran toward Sora. He wouldn't have Kari to stop him, but TK would still be here. He had an advantage.

Sora filled the water can and placed the lid on it.

Tai walked up to her. "Hey, Sora."

Sora looked up at him quickly. "What? Is there something coming?"

Tai put his hands up. "No, everything's fine. I just wanted to make sure you were doing all right. I mean, with everything that's going on."

Sora looked curiously at him for a minute and then reached her hands into the water. "I'm fine." She cupped some water in her hands and drank it down.

Tai sat down next to her. "Good, because I might need you to keep my head on straight."

Sora look to Tai and wiped the water from her lips. "What's wrong?"

Tai looked to Sora. "I just… feel like I don't have enough strength to get through this."

Sora placed her hand on his shoulder. "Tai, you're our leader. Everyone has faith in you."

Tai looked at her with his classic puppy-dog face that he used frequently on her. "Even you?"

Sora smiled at him. "Especially me. I'm your best friend," she stood and place her hands on her hips, "and you can bet I'll always believe in you."

Tai stood and moved a little closer to her. "So you would stand by me, no matter what?"

Sora nodded and smiled widely at him. "You know I would."

Tai moved even closer and reached for her hand.

Sora reached into her back pocket and pulled her gloves out. She looked into Tai's eyes with her brown eyes that read his entire soul.

Tai moved closer. If he could just get that first kiss with her then maybe Matt wouldn't have as much of a chance. "Would you trust me with anything?"

Sora took an uneasy step backward and grabbed the watercan. "Of course," she said with a smile. "I'm going to get this water to Matt so he can start dinner." She trotted past Tai trying not to shake the watercan too much.

Tai took a breath. "Calm down," he thought to himself. "She still loves you at this time." He tried to analyze the scene that had just played out. Why had Sora stepped back? He wasn't threatening her. They used to get close to each other all the time back in the digital world and lots of other times before that. What was that look in her eyes when she ran away? Was she worried?

Matt sat by the water looking up at the moon. Gabumon lay sleeping peacefully at his side, keeping him warm. He looked toward where the group was sleeping. TK was sleeping with Patamon wrapped in his arms. He had curled up next to Sora. Matt thought back to the numerous amounts of times that TK had chosen to sleep in Sora's arms and he had stayed close to make sure that nothing happened to him. Sora had never minded, but then again she didn't mind when Izzy fell asleep on her a few times either. Matt looked at the reflection of the moon in the water. He wondered if he had made a mistake when he made this bet with Tai. Would Tai be able to steal Sora in the past?

"Okay, Matt, you're relieved," Sora said as she came toward him.

Matt looked to her in surprise. "What?'

Sora had left Biyomon holding TK. "I'll take over for a while. You can go sleep."

Matt looked up to Sora's face. He remembered her face perfectly back then. They had grown together in the digital world while Tai was busy thinking about becoming a hero. "I'm not tired right now."

Sora sat down next to him. "Want some company then?" She looked up at the moon and smiled. "Even a digital moon looks beautiful."

Matt couldn't take his eyes off her. He remembered when this happened. He had not been able to sleep, and Sora had sat with him, and…

Sora felt him staring at her and looked to him. "What's wrong?" She ran her hands over her face. "Do I have dirt on my face?"

Matt felt his face getting warm. He hoped the night would hide his betraying cheeks. He didn't understand why he was so embarrassed of her catching him looking at her. Hadn't he done that so many times before? She was his girlfriend. Why was he having all of the ridiculous butterflies that had been there the first day he met her at summer camp? The same butterflies that stayed all throughout the digital world and resurfaced the night she came backstage to give him the cookies she made. He turned his head to the water quickly to hide that he was staring at her. "N-No." Why was he stuttering now? He hated himself. He should be used to her by now!

Sora checked her reflection in the water. "You can tell me. I won't get mad."

Matt thought back to this moment in time. How had it played out? He remembered her looking at her reflection in the water and sitting back down and accidently… He smiled. He leaned on his hands just liked he had done back then. He remembered shifting his weight to compensate for his embarrassment.

Sora moved back from the water and went back to her position leaning on her hands, and her hand accidently was place on top of Matt's.

Matt felt the same spark that he had felt that night.

Sora pulled her hand back quickly, and wrapped her arms around her knees that she pulled into her chest. "Sorry, I thought I had more room."

Matt mimicked her position, but left his hands free. "N-No problem." He cursed himself for letting his emotions attack his game like they were.

Sora looked out at the water, and Matt could see the crimson color flooding her cheeks.

Matt smiled. He cleared his throat to remind himself to not stutter. "Thanks, for being so good with TK."

Sora looked to him. "Oh, you don't have to thank me for that. TK's a great kid."

Matt nodded. "Yeah. He likes you though, and I honestly don't think I could have kept him calm through all this without you."

Sora smiled slightly, and Matt could see more blush coming into her cheeks. "I think you do a great job on your own."

Matt leaned over to her. He looked at her face critically.

Sora blinked quickly as though she couldn't understand what he was doing. "What?"

Matt smiled at her. "I think there is something on your face, after all." He put his hand to her cheek. "It's warm. Guess you're just blushing, huh?"

Sora turned her face to hide the heat in her cheeks. "It's probably from the fire."

Matt laughed a little at her.

Sora lowered her brows at him. "What? You don't believe me?"

Matt smiled at her and shook his head. "Not really."

Sora hugged her knees tightly. "I'm just not used to being important to someone. It's…nice."

Matt nodded. "I know what you mean. I don't get to see TK very often, and now he's getting older and doesn't need me as much. It might sound selfish, but I think being here is helping me to feel needed again."

Sora loosened a little. "Yeah, me too. And it is selfish, but maybe a little selfishness is necessary sometimes."

Matt looked up at the moon. "It's like I'm howling at the moon like a lone wolf."

Sora smiled at him. "Even a lone wolf has to run with a pack once in a while."

Matt smiled at her. "I'm glad I'm running in this one then."

Sora looked out at the water. "So if we get home, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Matt shrugged. "I was thinking about something in music."

Sora laughed a little. "When that's just perfect! You're really good with your harmonica already. I'm a little jealous. I can't even carry a tune."

Matt thought to a time when he heard Sora singing in the kitchen as she cleaned some dishes. Her voice had been so strong and uplifting. He couldn't imagine that she had just gotten that overnight. "I doubt that."

Sora looked to him quickly. "What?"

Matt smiled at her and moved a little closer without being noticed. "I think you are too modest."

Sora blushed and looked away again. "I think you're imagining things."

Matt laughed a little. "Wait? Are you embarrassed?" He moved closer to her and play wrestled to see her face. "Or are you still too hot from the fire," he laughed.

Sora laughed and pushed him around. "That's not fair! I really am warm from the fire."

Matt felt the warmth of her body on his. He couldn't help but remember the countless times that he had played with her like this. This was one of the first. He'd tease her and play with her and he'd usually kiss her. He looked into her eyes and could feel the attraction and romance in the air around them.

Sora smiled lightly at him and didn't seem to mind their closeness.

Matt put his hand on hers and looked into her eyes. "I'm… glad you were in this pack."

Sora blushed some more and let out a nervous laugh. "Me too."

Matt went to take her hand, and Sora's crest began to glow brightly.

Sora looked down at her chest and quickly covered the small crest that was hanging from her neck. "I, um, think I need to walk for a minute." She stood quickly and run away without mentioning anything.

Matt watched her run away. That hadn't happened the last time. He had made Sora's crest glow. She must have felt love. He could feel the excitement and love in the air around him. He smiled victoriously. She did love him. Even back when they had first become friends.

Tai came walking over to Matt and sat by him. "Nice try. She's going to avoid you for days after that. She gets embarrassed easily."

Matt smiled foolishly at the moon. "Say whatever you want, I've never seen her crest glow for you."

Tai turned away from him. "That's because she's used to my love."

Matt sighed and turned to look at Tai. "Did you ever think that you're confusing Sora's friend love for real love because you haven't tried to find anyone else?"

Tai bit his lip as he looked out to the water. "When we came back from the digital world, after defeating the dark lords and saving both worlds, I remember walking to school with her and wondering if she had fallen for me. I was worried because in the digital world she seemed to just grow closer and closer and she never really stopped. Even when she was trying to make her crest glow on her own, I just… I just couldn't imagine being with her at the time. I tried, but she kept trying to move forward and I wasn't ready to be with someone seriously and I knew she wouldn't be okay with casual." He hung his head and hunched his back. "I remember homecoming when she invited you and I invited Mimi, so all the original digidestined could be together. I knew then that I didn't have a chance left, but I tried anyway. I didn't think you'd make a move, and I never imagined Sora to be the one to take the initiative." He laughed a little to stop the ache in his chest. "You know, I asked her if she wanted to go to your concert with me. She was on her way to meet you backstage and give you your cookies. She looked worried about me, and I thought maybe that would be enough. She didn't say she was going to ask you out or anything. I thought…" He sighed sadly. "I thought she'd get tired of waiting for you."

Matt listened to Tai talk. Even though the girl in his story was Matt's girlfriend, he couldn't help but feel bad for Tai. He could only imagine the pain he was feeling.

Tai pulled his hair back from his face. "She looked at you a lot. I should have seen it coming. I thought you wouldn't be with her because of me. Not that I had any claim to her or anything."

Matt put his hand on Tai's shoulder. "No. You didn't."

Tai looked to Matt quickly, and he could see the tears forming in his eyes.

"Sora worked on her relationship with you for years, and you pushed her away. When we started hanging out more, I thought you had finally reached your limit of chances. You had. She and I grew closer and closer and now neither time nor space could tear us apart. It's more than your friendship, Tai. This is love," Matt told him.

Tai smiled a sad smiled. "I know. Maybe that's what hurts the most."

Matt nodded in understanding. He remembered all the times in the digital world when the group would split up and Sora would be off with Tai. He hated that. He hated that she would stand by him when he was so openly there. He remembered how much hope was brought into his chest when Biyomon told him Sora had helped him and Joe when they were forced to work at the restaurant. He thought that maybe he did have a shot with her after all if she cared enough to help him. He remembered how badly it hurt for that hope to be ripped from him as Tai sat next to her telling her how much he enjoyed feeling her love shining through on him. He had understood that Tai was going to try harder and harder if he saw Sora slipping away. He had taken his chance when Tai had gone to high school and became interested in other girls, and Sora began playing Tennis instead of soccer for the sake of giving Tai his space. He spent more time with Sora, and she made more time for him. He could only imagine how he would have felt if he hadn't have taken that one window of opportunity.

Tai stood up and looked away from Matt. "Let's go home. You won."

Matt stood and knocked Tai to the ground.

Tai looked up at Matt, fully expecting him to fight him again.

Matt smiled instead. "Sora's not a prize, Tai. She's not that girl."

Cane shook his head after he made the two boys their regular ages. "I have got to stop hanging out with you guys. You're going to mess things up royally."

Tai nodded. "Last time. I promise."

Matt turned to Tai. "Tai," he began.

Tai looked to him, he knew what was coming. He had promised to leave Sora alone if he lost.

Matt looked up to Tai with his deep blue eyes. "Sora would hate us both if she knew how stupid with both were. Spend as much time as you need to with her to keep your heart in tact. Just don't kiss her anymore." He turned and started toward the digiport.

Tai stood dumbfounded for a minute and then called after Matt, "Wait! You're cool now?"

Matt smiled back at Tai. "She loves me. That's more than enough for me."

Tai nodded as Matt walked away. He was being mature about everything now. He was secure in Sora's feelings for him, so Tai wouldn't be an obstacle. Deep inside, Tai knew the same thing. He'd have to watch as his two best friends continued to date, continued to fall deeper in love, and eventually he would have to watch as Sora walked down the aisle only to say her vows to his friend. He'd have to stand and watch from a front row seat and wish them all the best of luck and happiness as they ran away to start a life together and forget him completely. He sighed and smiled slightly. At least, she would be happy. That was the only thing that mattered now.

Sora held Matt's hand as they skated around the ice skating rink.

The digidestined had decided on an ice skating party for their annual meet up.

Davis tried to do tricks on the ice to impress Kari, but ended up falling on his face.

TK and Kari ended up helping him out of the ring.

Yolie and Ken skated close around the ice. Ken, seeming to be uncomfortable on the slick surface.

Izzy stumbled trying to get the hang of the skates.

Joe nervously asked Mimi if she wanted to skate with him, and she happily agreed. "You'd better not fall on me though. It took hours to get my hair like this."

The digimon slid around the ice doing ice races on there bellies and feet.

Tai smiled as he watched Sora slap Matt for trying to make her slip. She was happy.

Sora and Matt came across Izzy who had fallen on his rear and was trying to stand up with the help of Tentomon.

Matt grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet. "You're getting better."

Izzy rubbed his sore bottom. "I wish I could program some skates to make me a good skater."

Sora laughed and looked in Tai's direction. She smiled at him widely and wave sweetly.

Tai smiled back at her and waved back. It wasn't what he wanted. He would have preferred to have been with her under other circumstances. He knew that she was happy though. He'd wait. In the event that Matt and Sora weren't meant to be, he'd be there for her.

Izzy came sliding out of control toward Tai, and Tai caught him. He looked toward Sora and Matt. "So has it stopped hurting?"

Tai smiled at Sora again. "Not really. I'm happy that's she's happy though."

~The End~

P.S. DON'T leave me comments about how I have no soul for writing this and how you wish you'd never read it, because you will be ignored and made into a voodoo doll for doing so.

P.S.S. I will be making a sequel to this story in which Sora and Matt break up and it sends Sora running to Tai's arms. No idea how that one will be ending though, as in the original series Matt and Sora end up married with two kids, so I am trying not to flip anything to my own personal desires, but I will place a warning for that one too.


End file.
